The Modern Art Orchestra's À la MAO... series aims to present compositions and adaptations, sometimes originals, by members of the orchestra in a new context. In recordings and concerts, the orchestra has created a repertoire that is unparalleled in the history of Hungarian jazz. Some of these pieces have never been heard before by old or new followers, arranged in a new thematical, stylistic or other way. Additionally, some of them have never been released on disc or digitally. On International Jazz Day, an initiative associated with the name of Herbie Hancock, one of the founding fathers of jazz-rock, it almost goes without saying that the Modern Art Orchestra will be drawing on the extensive repertoire of the jazz-rock genre. Works by the versatile trumpeter-composer Gábor Subicz, pianist Gábor Cseke, saxophone soloist Kristóf Bacsó and bandleader Kornél Fekete-Kovács form the backbone of the programme. For the rest of the evening, our dear fellow musician, organist Brian Charette, who comes from the New York music scene, will join our band.

Bálint Gyémánt, one of Hungary's most distinguished jazz guitarists, has always been enriching diverse and exciting bands with his playing, which, in addition to carrying the characteristics of jazz and contemporary improvisation, is also able to appeal to pop music lovers. Pianist Krisztián Oláh builds his distinctive, dynamic music by organically combining classical musical elements and compositional techniques with the improvisational drift and abstract rhythms of contemporary jazz. Their joint project approaches the guitar and piano duo, with its limitless possibilities, from the artistic side of jazz. The backbone of their programme is formed by their own compositions and arrangements composed especially for this project, but even more importantly by the constant musical interaction and dialogue that is one of the duo's main characteristics.

This trio, founded by Attila Gyárfás, draws from the tools of free improvisation, contemporary classical music and traditional jazz, and its members are active representatives of the Hungarian improvisational music scene. A key element of the band's sound is the modern analogue synthesizer played by Máté Pozsár, which, in addition to creating a nearly infinite amount of timbres, is capable of switching between radically different sounds in the blink of an eye. Contrasting with the vibrations shaped by circuits and generated by the speakers is the acoustic sound of the drum kit and Ernő Hock's upright bass, but the musicians' attention and imagination allow the three instruments to boil into unity. Most of the trio's repertoire is made up of compositions by Attila Gyárfás, based on the improvisational skills of the three musicians, but using the sampler controlled by Máté Pozsár, they also evoke recordings from jazz history to which the members of the band are closely connected.

Guitarist and composer Paul Jarret continues to plough his highly personal, original and uncompromising artistic furrow with the creation of Tilia, a new quartet with a European dimension.  In addition to Paul Jarret, the new quartet features German saxophonist Philipp Gropper (a key figure in Berlin jazz over the past fifteen years), Amsterdam-based Korean drummer Sun-Mi Hong, Europe's “rising star” on drums, and Étienne Renard, a young French double bassist whose musical qualities are gaining increasing recognition, and who has been a regular contributor to Paul Jarret's projects for several years. The repertoire, based on the guitarist's compositions, blends lyricism, abstraction and cinematic atmospheres, leaving plenty of room for spontaneity and interaction between the musicians. The influences and energy of alternative rock, dear to the guitarist's heart, are evident in the songwriting, the energy released by the band's collective, and the care taken with the band's sound and the quality of the recording and mixing. Influences such as Deerhoof, Sonic Youth, Battles and Bon Iver can be found among the collective improvisations of free jazz and the libertarian movements of “great black American music”. To compose the entire repertoire for this project, Paul Jarret drew his allegorical inspiration from the lime tree (botanical name: Tilia), a majestic, sacred and universal tree, a symbol of justice and freedom, prized for its many virtues and capable of living up to a thousand years. All the titles in the repertoire are derived from this tree: Baucis (from the ancient Greek legend Philemon and Baucis), Bark, Linden, Laima (the Baltic divinity represented by the lime tree)...  

What Miquèu’s and Ádám's music have in common is the continuous change of being on a journey. Miquèu set out from Provence to create music that is at home everywhere and in which we can find ourselves at home anywhere. For Ádám, Budapest is the beginning of the journey, his compositions embracing a wide range of cultures from New York to Odessa. Their music is about encounters, friendship and everything they have experienced in their lives. Their concerts take us on a whirlwind journey through genres, countries, cultures, cities, houses, corridors, up and down stairs. Between Correns and Budapest. Adam's accordion, Miquèu's flutes. And their stories, which became music. Always unique, unrepeatable, improvisational, free stories. During the evening, we will hear pieces from Miquèu Montanaro's Tangos and Ádám Móser's programme called Stairs / Escaliers.  

Charlotte Greve is a New York-based alto saxophonist and composer originally from Germany. With a unique concept of tone and composition, she has been making a mark on both the Brooklyn and German jazz scenes. Charlotte has released seven albums as a leader of her bands Lisbeth Quartett and Wood River, two of which received an ECHO Jazz prize. Moreover, Greve has just been awarded the German Jazz Prize as “Artist of the Year”. Her latest release is marked by sensitive interplay – a collection of stunningly subtle and melodically pronounced songs that are both gentle and powerfully fluid. Even if the musicians are across the world in Berlin or New York City, all traveling and working on their respective projects, they seem to meld and blend with ease because of their history together and their knowledge of each other’s instrumental styles.  

In 2022, a new chapter in Saïd Tichiti's musical life opened: with a new name, sound and collaborators, he continues on the path he started more than two decades ago. His project brings together ancient gnawa, shaâbi and Hassan songs with Western genres such as dub, funk and psychedelic rock. By invoking the aesthetics of these modern genres, also leaving room for improvisation, he pushes the ancient desert traditions to new horizons. Saïd was born in the south of Morocco to a Berber mother and a Black African father. He arrived in Hungary in 1998 and founded his band Chalaban with local musicians, blending Afro-Arab and Central European musical influences. They have released 6 albums, given numerous concerts all over Europe and Morocco, and greatly contributed to the promotion of different Moroccan musical genres in Hungary and Central Europe. Chalaban now plays a magical world music concert at Cairo! Fest Budapest – Raqs Art Forum. The audience is invited on a real cultural journey where music crosses continents.

Founded in 2018, the Korossy Quartet aims to transmit the famous Hungarian string quartet tradition, and to present the broadest possible repertoire to Hungarian and foreign audiences. In 2021, the ensemble was awarded 5 different special prizes at the international Bartók World Competition, and a year later they were accepted into the class of Günter Pichler, first violinist of the legendary Alban Berg Quartet, at the Reina Sofia School of Music in Madrid. The Korossy Quartet's Bartók series, starting in autumn 2023, includes all of Bartók's string quartets in 6 concerts over 2 years, paired with a selection of works by the greatest composers of music history. The first three movements of Bartók's String Quartet No. 6 are preceded by the same slow introduction, while the fourth movement is the unfolding of this Mesto melody into a movement in its own right. Bartók's original plan was for a life-affirming finale, but the events of the composer's life intervened: the death of his mother and the outbreak of World War II caused the quartet to end with sounds of mourning and resignation. Through the character of the work as a whole, and through the key of D minor, we can also associate Mozart's String Quartet in D minor with themes of death and passing. The concert will begin with Webern's Five movements for string quartet, composed in 1909 and also inspired by the death of the composer's mother. Photo: Andrea Felvégi

This album has been overshadowed by an even more legendary recording, but it has a lot of beauty. Saxophonist Paul Desmond is the only member of the Dave Brubeck Quartet, apart from the bandleader, to become a big name outside that quartet. Desmond recorded the album Time Out with the Dave Brubeck Quartet in August 1959 - one of the most successful jazz albums ever made. In September, guitarist Jim Hall, as well as Percy Heath and Connie Kay of the Modern Jazz Quartet joined Desmond for his second solo outing, producing another example of the golden age of laid-back, cool, elegant, swinging jazz. The quartet consistently and unwaveringly performs the hits of the era, which include MJQ numbers and standards, but the CD reissue also includes a Desmond composition. The alto saxophone is lilting and flattering, seductive and reassuring. That's why it was voted number one again in Playboy magazine that year, as the album title suggests. As many of the series’ regulars will have guessed, Árpád Dennert will evoke the sound of one of the saxophone’s unforgettable masters with the MAO's rhythm section.

In the eclectic programme of Zita Gereben and her orchestra, the songs have the characteristics of R’n’B, pop, blues and, of course, jazz. The Hungarian singer-songwriter founded her band in 2009; so far, they have recorded three albums of their own compositions, and are planning to release their fourth album this autumn. Zita Gereben has worked with numerous Hungarian bands, and her forays into the world of motion pictures proved equally successful. Her orchestra unites talented and renowned Hungarian musicians, who bravely address the most different musical styles and the freedom of improvisation, resulting in a truly original sound.

Synesthetic4 was founded by Vincent Pongracz and Peter Rom in 2017. Since then the quartet made its mark on the European scene with shows at Jazzfest Saalfelden, Ljubljana Jazzfestival, Jazzwerkstatt Bern, April Jazz, and Orbit Jazz Johannesburg among others. Their first album Pickedem was presented at Wiener Konzerthaus in 2019. The program which atmospherically combines elements of contemporary music, jazz, funk and electronic music moves “confidently from frenzy to humorous wit”, as Tom Gsteiger put it. The band providing for “colourful cineastics” and “creative virtuosity” (Austrian Sounds) also features Manu Mayr on bass and Andreas Lettner on drums. For Pickedem they received the German Record Critics Award. In June 2022 they released their second studio album Ahwowha. An important part of their music are complex but catchy rhythms that originate from hip hop, contemporary groove and electronic music and give the quartet’s sound an urban characteristic. „Dada-Rap“ and abstractly folkloristic melodies that are sometimes inspired by the music of Olivier Messiaen are meant to leave a humoristic or even bizarre impression on the listener. The improvisations move between jazz and contemporary classical music. The specialty of the band is the way aesthetic components are put together, the balance of profane and sophisticated musical elements and their aspirations to combine avantgarde artistic values with quality entertainment. An important addition to their musical body of work are their music video productions, in which the band members often play different characters and perform rhythmic choreographies that are precisely arranged to fit the music. In 2024 the band received the first Austrian Jazz Prize in the category Best Live Act.  

Three outstanding representatives of Hungarian music, Ági Szalóki, János Ávéd and István Tóth performs contemporary arrangements of sacred songs and folk hymns, including works by Lantos Sebestyén Tinódi, Bálint Balassi and anonymous composers from the 17th and 18th centuries, as well as medieval hymns. The instrumentation and the unique approach of the artists already add an interesting dimension to the pieces, while jazz improvisations combine the best of tradition, freedom and the spirit of contemporary creation. 

In “Fluid”, we explore how music shapes and reshapes states of being, identity, and perception through five exciting works of varied stylistic origins, spanning contemporary visions and cultural reflections. Olga Neuwirth’s Un posto nell’acqua sets a literary and meditative tone, evoking Herman Melville’s symbolic connection between water, contemplation, and existential reflection. Nico Muhly’s Drones, Variations, Ornaments explores musical fluidity, seamlessly navigating between stability and nuanced shifts. John Adams’s vibrant Son of Chamber Symphony accelerates the pulse, evolving minimalist patterns into dynamic rhythmic dialogues of kinetic energy. Finally, Leoš Janáček’s evocative Moravian Dances, newly arranged for chamber orchestra, bridge past and present by transforming folk traditions into contemporary soundscapes. This concert invites you to experience music as a continually evolving flow of ideas, traditions, and sounds. The MIKAMO Central European Chamber Orchestra was founded by critically acclaimed Viennese University of Music and Performing Arts graduates in 2007. The ensemble considers concerts Gesamtkunstwerk and regards historic music repertory as the extrapolation of new works from our time. While dedicated to living composers and the repertory of current music, MIKAMO also promotes artistic continuity in defining a Central European musical heritage by regularly performing in defining concert halls of Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest and Central Europe in general. The concert is organized by the Sonus Foundation for the Support of New Music and Contemporary Performing Arts, with support from the National Cooperation Fund, the Ministry of Culture and Innovation and the National Cultural Fund.

“A Turkish female vocalist/cellist from coastal Trabzon, a guitarist/violist from Bacău in the Romanian inland and, as a wild card, a Flemish clarinetist/saxophonist from Antwerp, three true characters with a longer conjoint musical practice, met in the urban delta of The Lowlands to work on a variety of songs originating from the Black Sea. Clearing up the air to give breath to ten of these old songs they feel close to, these three musicians let emerge a selection of Turkish, Georgian, Lazi, Pontus Greek and Tatarian origin to receive illumination and shine. Far from delivering newly polished up versions, they draw us into the process of their momentary discovery of these long-lived songs. They catch them on the edge of emergence, in their transient volatility, at their merging and fading sides as well as in their full brightness and at their most playfully prancing and bouncing character”, wrote Henning Bolte about the Black Sea Songs trio. The band also records an album in the days of the concert, to be released on BMC Records.

Falka (Pack) is a long-established musical community that actually decided to become a band two years ago. Depths and heights, sadness and joy, singing and dancing, limits and freedom, community-building energies: this is Falka, an open band in which the members may occasionally change, but this makes their music more exciting and varied. Their programme is made up of compositions by members or other composers that are easy to take in, and even pieces that are inspired by the moment, born on the spot, and include free elements, written parts and easy-to-learn melodies. The goal: to break down the wall between the band and the audience, so that during the performances everyone is united in a community singing and moving around the fire, participating in the ritual.

Helicopets are a jazz group led by Warsaw-based composer and guitarist Adam Baran. The group focuses on exploring collective improvisation, drawing from modernity. Their music, set in the convention of a jazz quartet, refers to minimalism, ambient and electronic music, boldly crossing and redefining the genre framework of jazz. Baran’s playing style is focused on space and trance. Using effects and other devices, he creates patches of sound, treating his guitar as a sampler, but often returning to the classic, almost mainstream way of playing. The band’s sound is decisively shaped by Panilas, who uses her instrument to build electronic noises and avant-garde improvisations. The rhythm section will be made up of innovative Polish musicians: drummer Józef Biegański and bassist Piotr Zygma. In 2024, the band debuted at the Jazz Juniors festival in Kraków, receiving a number of special awards, also that of Budapest Music Center. As a result, they set off on a European tour. Their album will also be released this year. This project is co-financed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland from the Culture Promotion Fund.  

De Beren Gieren is a post-contemporary jazz trio in which minimalism and bursting energy go hand in hand. It may be no coincidence that this band is based in Belgium, the home ground of surrealism and techno. De Beren Gieren consists of musicians highly active in the European music scene, but it is within this band their versatility flow freely. Its music is multi-layered, improvised and visionary. Corresponding acts could be Visible Cloaks, Radiohead, Erik Satie and Jon Hassell. Well, expect at least Beren music. Pianist Fulco Ottervanger composes most of the tunes, shining a childlike clarity, yet without ever pointing to a specific genre. It challenges the band to conceive a never-heard combination of sounds and parts supporting those sing-along melodies, often resulting in cinematic structures with a kaleidoscopic quality. Bass player Lieven Van Pée and drummer Simon Segers, join Fulco in a shared effort of control and letting go, tying the three together in a unique band. Live concerts of De Beren Gieren are an ongoing adventure full of beauty, dynamics and group interaction. What Eludes Us is an ode to what escapes us. And what we consciously want to look away from. For their 7th full album, De Beren Gieren even ignored the unimaginable beauty of the Norwegian fjords by sneaking into a dusty recording studio in the harbor of Bergen. Together with the celebrated and mysterious producer Jørgen Træen, who silently watched over the imperfections and interference as the driving force behind the skilled and lively playing of this electro-acoustic jazz trio. The result turns out to be compelling music with deceptive rhythms, clear melodies and uninhibited electronics in a way that also surprises themselves. How did that happen again?

The cult of Mary has been a source of inspiration not only in the visual arts, but also in sacred music over the centuries. There are at least 3,000 arrangements of the Latin text of the Hail Mary alone, and of course new works are being composed today that set to music a prayer to the Virgin Mary. The Kodály Choir Debrecen's last concert before the summer, with a programme of contemporary music mixed with Renaissance compositions, proves that although the musical language is constantly changing and renewing, the spiritual depth is eternal.

Mihály Borbély, who is equally at home in the fields of folk and world music, jazz and contemporary music, and who is extremely popular both in Hungary and abroad, is one of the leading figures of Hungarian jazz as a performer and composer. The folk music heritage of the Carpathian Basin and the Balkans is strongly present in his works, organically combined with elements from the various jazz tendencies or even from the music of the twentieth century classics. His playing combines exciting melodic turns with subtly translucent and powerful rhythms, while lyrical phrases enter into dialogue with energetic gestures. This evening, the Borbély Quartet performs well-known pieces from their repertoire, as well as giving an insight into the workshop secrets of their latest improvisational experiments.  

In the early 20th century, his music found its way easily into the affected world of operetta with Das Dreimäderlhaus, and his oeuvre is full of light, casual pieces written for the music lovers of early 19th-century Vienna, yet few in the history of Western art music have gone as far as Franz Schubert in capturing human hopelessness. “All is going shamefully,” he wrote to a friend in the early 1820s, “for in this miserable world it is the fate of almost every sensible man. And what are we to do with happiness when unhappiness is now our only stimulant.” The biographical reasons for this unhappiness (ranging from love disappointment to financial difficulties and fatal illness) are less interesting than how we listeners today, 200 years later, can experience the hopelessness represented in Schubert's music – in this case, in the grand Piano Sonata in A minor composed in 1825. In the first half of the evening, pianist Gábor Csalog and music historian Gergely Fazekas will discuss how the feeling of hopelessness can be expressed in music, using examples from other works too. The language of this conversation is Hungarian.

The Modern Art Orchestra's À la MAO... series aims to present compositions and adaptations, sometimes originals, by members of the orchestra in a new context. In recordings and concerts, the orchestra has created a repertoire that is unparalleled in the history of Hungarian jazz. Some of these pieces have never been heard before by old or new followers, arranged in a new thematical, stylistic or other way. Additionally, some of them have never been released on disc or digitally. The Modern Art Orchestra's last concert of the season might as well bring up Herbie Hancock's name again, because this is the title of the Hancock's sextet album released almost 30 years ago.  They have been instrumentally reworking current pop hits. Of course, ever since jazz emerged, it has been using the hits of the day as a starting point to improvise, and the Great American Songbook was almost exclusively made up of musical, pop and film hits from the 1930s. In the last few decades, the freshness of new styles of pop has inspired some of the most famous foreign artists. The Hungarian jazz repertoire has also included songs by the most successful pop ensembles, while composers such as Gábor Subicz, Kristóf Bacsó and the orchestra leader Kornél Fekete-Kovács have also adapted film or stage music, creating a whole series of new jazz standards.

Drummer-composer Balázs Bágyi is one of the leading artists of Hungarian jazz. The music of his latest band is dominated by acoustic, contemporary jazz based on post bop elements. His partners are a prominent representative of the middle generation of Hungarian jazz: the saxophonist Soso Lakatos Sándor, the Junior Prima Prize-winning pianist Dezső Oláh, and one of the greatest bassists in Central Europe, Péter Oláh. The band has played at a number of European jazz festivals in recent years, as well as performing regularly in China - their collaboration with trumpet player Li Xiaochuan in Shanghai has been going on for several years. In 2016, their album Homage To Shakespeare with singer Kriszta Pocsai, was awarded the Gramophone Prize by the international professional jury. The repertoire of the formation is based on the compositions of the bandleader, Balázs Bágyi, who became the composer of the year in 2016. As in the previous years, they play some of the older compositions, as well as presenting their recent music in Opus Jazz Club.  

The artistic world of Kálmán Oláh Jr. is a harmonious blend of heritage, musical innovation and boundless passion. The saxophonist's goal is to showcase his compositions for this band in prestigious venues in Hungary and abroad, thus positioning the new generation of Hungarian jazz in the international music scene. The saxophonist showed a great interest in classical music and jazz from an early age. Together with his father, Kálmán Oláh senior, and his brother, Krisztián Oláh, both renowned pianists, he is a member of several bands that are regular and prestigious performers in concert halls. He has been awarded one of Hungary’s most important awards for young artists, the Junior Prima Prize, a testament to his exceptional talent and dedication.

The Budapest Lantos Choir has been celebrating the power of music and community for 75 years. On this special anniversary, we look back on the choir's rich history, while looking forward to the future with renewed enthusiasm. The anniversary concert invites us on a special journey, recalling the most beautiful moments of the past decades through the encounter of classical masterpieces and contemporary melodies. The joy of singing together and meeting the audience has always been a matter of the Budapest Lantos Choir's heart - let's celebrate together, because music is our common language and the most beautiful bond between us!

The name of Miklós Lukács is synonymous with the highest level of the art of cimbalom playing, both in Hungary and internationally. He is regarded as one of the world's best-known and most versatile cimbalom players and is revered as a pioneer of his instrument. His performances weave together contemporary music, jazz and folk music to create a unique sound. His work has brought his instrument into a new light, revealing dimensions of the cimbalom's sound and possibilities that were first explored through his diverse playing. After Timeless, his solo album released on BMC Records last year, he further elaborated on a solo programme that offers a great opportunity to delve deeper into the musical world of Miklós Lukács and to experience its richness across genres. In his concerts, written compositions and improvisations born in the moment harmoniously complement each other, while the cimbalom unfolds its unparalleled range of sound.  

The quartet was formed in 2022, comprising Martina Greiner, Federico Gómez, Ignacio Santos, and Emilio Cossani, who share a rich background marked by their passion for tango. Their union was born out of a desire to be part of the cultural movement of 21st-century tango, known as the New Golden Age, where the creation of new works takes center stage. Thus, they avoid the repetition of classics and open the door to innovative music and lyrics. Buenos Aires, a vibrant and chaotic city, reflects the critical moment Argentina (and the world?) is experiencing. In this environment, various forms of interaction inspire the musical creation of this quartet. Their unconventional instrumentation within the genre adds fresh textures to tradition, aligning with the purpose of popular music: to capture the present authentically. After a successful tour in Europe in 2024, the quartet is now dedicated to creating new material, which they will present in Buenos Aires and in various concert halls and milongas across Europe.

After Soundtrack, inspired by film scores, and Tricks, drawing on the world of magic tricks and card tricks, the fifth album of the Gábor “Tojás” Horváth Trio, Multiverse, was inspired by the universe around us, theoretical physics and the diversity of musical moods. The album’s material, to be heard for the first time at Opus Jazz Club, also builds on the duality of momentum and intimacy, focusing on the magic of live music, on the energies born in the moment. The compositions of the bandleader are characterised by playfulness, humour and a tangible musical representation of the most varied emotions and moods; alongside joyful songs rich in rhythm changes, we will also hear soaring solos and hymn-like ballads.  

Since the creation of Velvet Revolution in 2015, Daniel Erdmann has often heard people referring to his band as “Velvet Underground”, instead of Velvet Revolution. The confusion caused by the trio's homonymy with the New York band made him wonder, and he finally went looking for his vinyl copy of the legendary album with its Andy Warhol cover. It was a re-discovery of Lou Reed's raw, realistic lyrics, ballads with their simple, haunting melodies, and then Nico's voice and the infinite sweetness of her bewitching melodies. In the end, the slip of the tongue also revealed a proximity of intent, a quest for a velvety sound with a firm texture, easy-going melodies, a combination of fiery and delicate. This listening experience was the starting-point inspiration for this new project combining music, text and song. By inviting Serbian singer and actress Jelena Kuljić, Daniel Erdmann strives to create an intimate, sensitive and powerful atmosphere. Jelena's captivating voice, halfway between singing and spoken word, brings an extra expressive dimension to the band's compositions. With her unique approach, Jelena will push the band out of their comfort zone. Her presence will help to create new spaces for creativity, both in the compositions and arrangements, as well as in the improvised parts. After three highly successful albums – A Short Moment of Zero G (2016), Won’t Put No Flag Out (2019), and Message in a Bubble (2023) –, the recording of this new Velvet Revolution project will again be released on BMC Records.  

Details soon...

After four concerts in 2023, János Mátyás Stark, Gergely Devich, and Fülöp Ránki are announcing a new series at the BMC, now under the name of Trio Haris. The series will conclude with works by two closely related geniuses of romantic chamber music. The professional and personal relationship between Schumann and Brahms has a wealth of musical and non-musical sources, and a vast literature. Both wrote three piano trios, the first of which will be performed in this concert. Schumann wrote his first trio in D minor (Op. 63) relatively late, and its troubled D minor, passing through the lively F major of the scherzo and the dark A minor of the slow movement, finally resolves into the luminous D major of the finale. Brahms's Trio in B flat major bears the opus number 8 – the composer wrote the first version in 1854, when he was twenty-one –, but this is misleading because it was thoroughly revised three and a half decades later. Dramaturgically, the work is essentially the reverse of Schumann's, and, uniquely among the top works of the trio repertoire, begins in a major key but ends in minor. Further concerts in this series: 5 October 2024 7 PM Trio Haris (Ránki – Stark – Devich) I. | Haydn, Liszt, Schubert4 January 2025 7 PM Trio Haris (Ránki – Stark – Devich) II. | Takemitsu, Schubert, Shostakovich22 March 2025 7 PM Trio Haris (Ránki – Stark – Devich) III. | Haydn and Beethoven

Think about ‘music’ and ‘Europe’, you’ll end up hearing Charpentier’s Te Deum ringing out in some corner of your good ol’ collective memory. Leave this trumpeting mass to Eurovision, and watch Europe flourish elsewhere. In this Garden Of Silences, for example. This Franco-European quartet, imagined by Clément Janinet with Arve Henriksen, Ambre Vuillermoz and Robert Lucaciu, is a fine example of cross-border inventiveness. Very active (International Jazz Platform, Jazzahead, Scandinavia, Estonia, Hungary, Italy, Germany), the violinist extends the aesthetics of his previous projects, such as Ornette Under the Repetitive Skies and La Litanie des Cimes, to put this new repertoire in the hands of musicians from other cultures. The violin enters into dialogue with the trumpet, accordion and double bass, and frees itself from the limits of repertoires. Buxtehude and Dowland debate with the Swedish nyckelharpa, Marin Marais with virulent improvisation and microtonal music, folk dances and songs from the oral tradition with contemporary chamber music. The band’s new album will be released on BMC Records.

Mátyás Premecz's name is associated with two things for Hungarian audiences: dynamic bands – including Kéknyúl, Juli Fábián and Zoohacker, Little G Weevil and the Lőrinc Barabás Quartet, but he also accompanied Jackie Orszáczky on his last tour in the country –, and a huge Hammond organ. His trio plays mostly his own compositions, whose style is a healthy mix of jazz, blues and funk. The band's debut album, Chicken Pressure, was released in late 2024 and will now be heard at Opus Jazz Club for the first time.

The members of Trio Squelini, specialising in ethno-jazz and contemporary chamber music with a unique instrumental lineup, have been playing together in various bands and recordings for years. Band leader Szabolcs Szőke is one of the modern polyhistors: in his productions, music works in synthesis with visual arts and theatre, just as in music he creates a dialogue of genres, a musical union of jazz, Balkan, Indian and West African music with his bandmates. Trio Squelini recorded an album entitled Campiello/Terecske in 2014 and since its release has become a regularly performing group. They are happy to invite guests to their concerts, to emphasise different shades of their repertoire. This time, they are joined by David Boato, a distinguished jazz trumpeter and flugelhorn player from Mogliano Veneto, who has been making music with the trio for more than a decade. They have performed together in Italy and Hungary, their first album Via Ilka was released by Hunnia Records, and in October 2024 they recorded a new album during a joint tour of northern Italy, from which they will now perform a few tracks on the stage of Opus.

TRYON is a bold and unconventional large-ensemble project built around the compositions of bassist and composer Kellen Mills. The group merges intricate written forms with free improvisation, balancing the energy of classic big band instrumentation with electronic textures and a sharp sense of humor. TRYON's music lives in the space between structure and spontaneity – what Mills calls “organized chaos” – drawing inspiration from a wide spectrum of artists including Schönberg, Ligeti, Anthony Braxton, Frank Zappa, Charles Mingus, and Eric Dolphy. Yet, despite these references, the ensemble resists clear genre classification, offering a sonic experience that is immersive, unpredictable, and best encountered live. The ensemble has released two albums on Double Moon Records: Läuterung (2022), featuring a 13-piece lineup, and Freaky Squash Baby (2023), expanding to an 18-member ensemble. A third release is anticipated in 2026. TRYON has performed throughout Europe in various formats, with recent appearances including Jazzexzess and the Improdimensija concert series in Vilnius.  

Composer József Sári celebrates his 90th birthday this year. On this occasion, our celebratory concert features his chamber music and solo pieces composed for a variety of instruments, including world premieres, performed by outstanding musicians of the Hungarian contemporary music scene. József Sári is a leading figure of 20th and 21st century Hungarian music, both as a composer and as a teacher. Between the 1980s and the 2000s, his works were frequently performed not only in Hungary but also throughout Europe, especially in Germany. His pedagogical work was just as highly regarded: until his retirement, he taught generations of musicians at the Béla Bartók Secondary School of Music and the Liszt Academy in Budapest, and as a guest professor at master classes. He has received numerous awards at home and abroad.

The LFZE Béla Bartók Conservatory's orchestra is made up of more than 20 young musicians who play music based on free improvisation process models. The ensemble is led by Péter Ajtai and Máté Pozsár, and includes jazz and classical musicians as well. Their work carries on the tradition of Hungarian free music, rooted in collective creation and spontaneity, while also seeking new forms and structures of improvisation. In April 2024 they played at the House of Music Hungary as part of the New Music project, and in September they were included in the Liszt Academy's Conservatory concert series. This evening, they will perform free jazz classics and guided improvisations. 

József Balázs is one of the most talented keyboard players of the middle generation in Hungary, who who is equally at home in the world of ethno-jazz and the mainstream of the genre. The pianist is the leader of the East Gipsy Band, which has been a smash hit at the legendary Blue Note in New York and the Detroit Jazz Festival. Since the formation of the Elemér Balázs Group, he has been the band's other main driving force alongside his brother, making his first recording debut with them (My New Way, 1997), and has been involved as an arranger and songwriter on all of the band's subsequent albums. He has played in the Kőszegi Quartet and has been a member of the László Dés Septet since 2003. In 2005 he joined the Contemporary Gregorian project together with his brother. He has performed with many world-famous musicians such as Randy Brecker, Erik Truffaz, Charlie Mariano, Pat Metheny, Robin Eubanks, Stéphane Belmondo, Bobby Watson and Steve Houben. In addition to his success in the jazz world, he is also recognised as an arranger and composer in other genres (pop, film music). 

The Péch Lóránt Trio is an exciting formation of talented young Hungarian jazz musicians, founded in 2023 by pianist-composer Lóránt Péch. The main aim of the band is to perform Péch's own compositions in combo instrumentation, adding new colours to the palette of modern jazz. The compositions masterfully blend stylistic elements of modern and traditional jazz, subtly weaving in inspirations from classical music. All three members of the trio are students of jazz at the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music. Despite their young age, they have already captivated audiences at many Hungarian jazz clubs and festivals with their playing, drive and unique musical world. On this special evening, they will be joined by a fourth outstanding young colleague, Máté Balogh.

[Na]: a chemical element of enthusiastic disobedience. This is found in the punctuated piano strokes of Monk or the Afro-Dutch distortion of The Ex and Getatchew Mekurya. The Chicago School, with its libertarian and supportive tendencies, from the Art Ensemble to Jaimie Branch, has written many treatises on it. The new trio of Selma Namata Doyen, Rémi Psaume and Raphaël Szöllösy experiments with these concepts, drawing on formulas haunted by Mandingue lyricism as much as by electric drones. Their first EP, recorded in a legendary barn in Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines, was released in May 2023.  

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The Tokyo-Budapest Ensemble has been performing in Hungary almost each summer since 2003, this concert being the ninth occasion that they are playing in the BMC Concert Hall. The Ensemble's artistic director is Kálmán Berkes, former music professor at the Musashino Academia Musicae in Japan for 25 years, and the artistic director of the Győr Philharmonic Orchestra in Hungary since 2009. The ever-changing members of the Ensemble are selected each year from Japanese artists and the musicians of the Győr Philharmonic Orchestra, to present beloved pieces from the chamber music repertoire for strings.

“There is a devil at work in every bar, in every part, the sound is fizzling”, writes the critic of Magyar Narancs, who later describes a “charming boogaloo jazz”, and then declares that “the exuberant vigueur and the joy of making music shines through every note”. “János Bujdosó, the unique creator of the Hungarian alternative music world, presents a stylistic high school on his new album”, says another prominent Hungarian newspaper, HVG, whose eagle-eyed correspondent also attended one of the band's concerts and expressed his impressions as “the event turned into a real fiesta, where the gourmet live-music-consuming audience was once again convinced that János Bujdosó is as inimitable as a performer and leader of his mini big band as he is as a composer”.

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“We all represent different musical worlds, but we share a common goal: to tell stories through music. We don't just play notes – when we make music, we tell wonderful, unique stories that we might not be able to express in words. The magic of a live concert is that you never know what will happen when the next notes are played. We love this unknown musical world offered by improvisation. Every concert is a new discovery, where music, audience and moment shape sounds together. It is not the quest for perfection, but freedom and self-expression that drives us. We make music to experience the captivating, enchanting moments of the concert and share them with listeners ,” says János Nagy about the trio. The band’s first album, entitled Voyagers, will be released in spring 2025. The trio's repertoire consists mainly of compositions by pianist János Nagy Yancha. 

“They say leave me the birds and the bees, and I say yes, but leave me the TV and some fat cheese too” Anna Anderluh’s songs speak of the necessity of absurdity, audacity, and stupidity. She describes her music as “pop with a crack” that bridges the gap between tender poetry and harsh social criticism, between simple fragile songs and experimental vocal improvisation. Through humor and sensitivity, she finds magic in seemingly insignificant details that shine through without adding additional polish. As we listen, we are left with unconventional sounds that dispense with haste and showmanship, are constantly evolving, and refuse to give us the impression that they are finished. Because finished is bland.  

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Niccolò Paganini is the most influential violin virtuoso in the history of music, and he was also a composer who loved to write for his instrument – pieces, of course, that only he could master. His dazzling virtuosity and overwhelmingly passionate performance earned him the title of the Devil's Violinist. The 24 Caprices is a series of character pieces for solo violin, each focusing on a different technical challenge, but also displaying a distinct mood and emotion. Nowadays, one or two of the Caprices is performed mainly as an encore in concert halls around the world; the complete series is rarely heard in one concert, as its performance still demands an almost superhuman level of effort and skill from the violinists even two centuries after its creation. There have been two such occasions in Hungary so far: in the 1970s Miklós Szenthelyi and in the mid-1990s József Lendvay attempted to conquer the Mount Everest of solo violin literature. Following in their footsteps, János Bodor, member and acting concertmaster of the National Philharmonic Orchestra and permanent concertmaster of the Danubia Orchestra, has now set his thrilling expedition to mark the anniversary of Paganini's birth.