The impact of the oeuvre of Johann Sebastian Bach is so mighty that the literature on the subject would almost certainly fill an entire library. However, while it is well documented that Bach shaped the thinking of generations of composers, it is less well known that Bach has also often been the catalyst behind the formation of musical ensembles, even centuries after his passing. For instance, the 80-year-old Nederlands Kammerkoor, which hails from Utrech, can thank Bach for their foundation, albeit indirectly.

The Reformation Memorial Committee commissioned a ‘Bach cantata’ from Zoltán Jeney on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. The new work is performed at the closing concert of the commemorative year, in the Grand Hall of the Liszt Academy on 19 December 2017. Zoltán Jeney spoke to us about the composition.

The world-renowned pianist Péter Frankl and the Kelemen Quartet are playing the works of one of the most pivotal Hungarian composers of the 20th century in the Grand Hall of the Liszt Academy on 13 December.

A portrait of András Szőllősy, written by Szabolcs Molnár.

Violinist and conductor (sometimes both at the same time), viola player and chamber musician, teacher and philanthropist… Born in Lithuania but resident since childhood in Vienna, Julian Rachlin is one of those rare musician personalities whose diversity and energy is difficult to formulate in words. As one of the most in-demand artists of our day, he takes to the stage of the Grand Hall on 22 November at the head of English Chamber Orchestra, which boasts a tradition going back TO close on 60 years. He conducts Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 and Violin Concerto, the latter also as solo instrumentalist. In this interview with Concert Magazine, he speaks about his multifaceted activities, the musical upbringing of young people, Bartók, and the role of music in public life.

On 18 November, Ödön Michalovich’s own compositions will be performed at the concert held in tribute of the legendary President of the Liszt Academy composer, pianist and music educator. We interviewed the artistic director of the event, Professor Emerita Éva Marton the Kossuth prize-winning soprano.

In the wake of Firsts and Lasts and then Turning Point, Magic Mountain, a most apt appellation similarly lifted from literature, becomes the title of the new series of kamara.hu. Many parallels can be drawn between the Thomas Mann novel and the Liszt Academy’s now well established autumn chamber music festival, but artistic directors Izabella Simon and Dénes Várjon did not choose the title purely for these similarities.

In its pure form, folk music is hard to come by. Like an unstable chemical, it cycles through numerous permutations as it reacts with something in its current environment. However, it is not only folk music itself that is fleeting and transmutative, the scientific fields seeking to analyse and define it are also in a constant state of flux. Science, teaching and, most recently, performance art itself try – in their own ways, using the tools at their disposal – to define the essence of the term folk music, but precisely because of its volatility, writers are forced into making lengthy circumlocutions on the subject. And let’s not forget that eternal scientific paradox that states that the observer always has an effect on the material being observed, so observation itself can never be totally objective.

Besides his teaching activity at the Liszt Academy and his position as the Head of the Strings Department, József Eötvös organises festivals and competitions, devotes himself to the careers of young people and to the furtherance of guitar music. The Liszt Award-winning musician spoke to us in detail about the history of the Guitar Sub-Department, artist management and the Budapest International Guitar Competition.

The Bartók World Competition and Festival from th Finnish and Japanese perspectives.