The Kölcsey Centre will host a major Christmas concert on Tuesday the 17th of December at 7:00 p.m. In the Great Hall, the Kodály Philharmonic Orchestra and the Kodály Choir will perform music that will bring the audience closer to the spirit of the holiday. Programme Poulenc: Four motets for Christmas Haydn: Nelson Mass Moscheles: Concerto for flute and oboe The concert features Petra Elek, Dóra Galgóczy-Boros, Zoltán Megyesi, Bence Pataki – vocals; Balázs Köcsky – flute; Gábor Bicskey – oboe; as well as the Kodály Philharmonic Orchestra and the Kodály Choir (choir director: Zoltán Kocsis-Holper). Conductor: Imre Kollár More information about the concert can be found here and here. Date: 17 December, 7.00 p.m. Location:Kölcsey Centre Source and photo credit:dehir.hu

One of the best-known Hungarian acapella groups will be on stage this time with singer Sára Bolyki. Like the mens' choir she is familiar with a wide range of styles. The ensemble's Christmas Lights album, released last year, provides the basis for the programme, which includes Christmas and Advent songs from Hungary, Anglo-Saxon, Northern European and Carpathian Basin nations. Famous secular melodies will also be performed, including Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker, Vivaldi's Four Seasons of Winter and Silent Night, all in their own arrangements. A special feature of the evening is that these songs have never been performed in this form before, with a female soloist. Sára Bolyki is a second generation acapella singer, daughter of the oldest member of the Bolyki Brothers and member of the Jazzation acapella group. She graduated with honours in folk singing from the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music, where she was invited to teach even before graduation. In addition to Jazzation, she also teaches at the undergraduate level and is an invited soloist with Hungarian and Balkan folk music groups. StEFREM from Budapest is a vocal ensemble with a unique sound. The multi-award winning group has performed regularly across Europe from London to Bucharest, and has […]

The Budapest Klezmer Band has been entertaining audiences since 1990 with its lively and humorous stage performances. It combines the different musical trends of the Carpathian Basin in a virtuoso way.  The members of the band are true masters of their instruments, redefining klezmer music across genres. In their original musical compositions, traditional Yiddish motifs are complemented by elements of Gypsy and folk music, spiced up with a touch of modernity. The orchestra's founding leader and composer is Ferenc "Fegya" Jávori, whose innovative ideas have given rise to the genres of klezmer ballet, klezmer suites and klezmer musicals in Hungary.  All of these artistic productions were created with world-class local collaborators. The orchestra's sophisticated musical world of diverse klezmer music, with a distinctly Carpatho-Basin flavour, has been a huge success with audiences in Europe and overseas. The Budapest Klezmer Band has received many prestigious awards and prizes. Orchestra members: Ferenc Jávori "Fegya" - piano, vocals Anna Nagy - accordion István Kohán - clarinet Balázs Végh - drums Bence Gazda - violin, vocals span style="font-weight: 400;">László Máthé - double bass Gábor Barbinek - trombone The duration of the concert is 90 minutes. Tickets can be purchased at this site. Date: 23 […]

As usual, on the first day of the year, the Kodály Philharmonic Orchestra will once again give a free concert for classical music lovers in the Great Church.  The following works will be performed at the concert, which will start at 4.00 p.m. on the 1st of January: Claude Goudimel: Geneva Psalm 90 György Orbán: The Geneva Psalm 90 Árpád Palotai: Come, Lord God the Holy Spirit Claude Goudimel: Geneva Psalm 65 Tamás Beischer-Matyó: Blessed is the one you teach Claude Goudimel: Geneva Psalm 134 Claudio Monteverdi: Cantate Domino János Vajda: Kolinda Melchior Vulpius: Angelus ad pastores ait Mouret: Rondeau Händel: Suite in D major Clarke: The Prince of Denmark’s March Participants: Dániel Somogyi-Tóth – organ, Levente Donát Szőnyi – trumpet, Olga Vojevogyina – piano, the Kodály Choir and the Kodály Philharmonic Brass Ensemble.  Conductor: Zoltán Kocsis-Holper The admission is free to the concert.   Date: 1 January, 2025, 4.00 p.m. Location: Great Reformed Church Source and photo credit:dehir.hu