An unorthodox press briefing including several surprises was the opportunity to present the 140-year-old Liszt Academy’s spring concerts and eight new season ticket series for the 2015/16 commemorative season. Next year, stars such as Joshua Bell and Anna Prohaska appear in Budapest, and all can enjoy the illuminated facade of this distinguished building after dark.

Both the music profession and the public rank her as one of today’s greatest Baroque violinists. Many of her recordings have won prizes, and her students rave about her; but if there exist artists who are not tempted by professorial and star allure, then Rachel Podger is certainly one of them. She gives her first concert in Budapest at the end of November. “I’m not a purist,” she stated in an interview with the BBC. “I like the Baroque orchestral set-up and it’s great if a person has a fine Italian violin, but the choice of instrument is a personal decision. The player should be happy with the instrument. That is most important!”

Firsts and Lasts – this is the English translation of the Hungarian title of selected short stories by Lyudmila Ulitskaya, in which the writer reveals through her novellas the diversity of Russian society. And she does this without being judgmental or determining right from wrong. All she does is depict contrasts in lifestyles and different fates; we could say the kamara.hu festival of music by Dénes Várjon and Izabella Simon does just the same thing.

For several decades the music life of Budapest was virtually devoid of song recitals, but in the past few years this concert form – constantly flourishing in other countries – has made a comeback here. The Liszt Academy’s autumn programme features two prize winners of the I. Éva Marton International Singing Competition, who reveal their great capabilities in this genre.

He is one of the most popular and in-demand cellists of our day. Born in the Soviet Union, he lived in Israel for many years and currently resides in Brussels. He studied under Rostropovich and Piatigorsky; as exclusive recording artist with Deutsche Grammophon he has more than fifty discs to his name; and while many consider the romantic incandescence, rich vibrato and full cello sound of his playing to be exaggerated, he still has very many followers. Mischa Maisky performs in the Liszt Academy with accompaniment from the Hungarian Chamber Orchestra. He spoke to the Concert Magazine about the forthcoming concert.