April concert notes

It is already the 10th Kantharos Gala concert in a row that is coming up on April 4, 2019, still as a joint effort with the Civil Organizations of Győr to raise funds for those in need in and around our beloved city. As in every year before, our generous audience members are again in for some uplifiting live music played by the Győr Phil conducted by artistic director Kálmán Berkes. Also offered are fun-filled hosting by the usual dou of Marcsi Borbás and Ferenc Rákóczi, and most importantly a large selection of top-notch bottles of Hungarian wine and "palinka" (schnapps) from all over the country. This annual event is traditionally honored by the presence of Zsolt Borkai, mayor of Győr, who at the same time is the patron of the gala as well.    

Simultaneously with the Kantharos Gala GYPO is busy preparing some out-of-the-ordinary pieces of music for a special Pest Vigadó appearance in Budapest on April 7. Program selection for this concert was governed by GYPO's unflappable support of contemporary Hungarian composers. This time four works were picked by two of Hungary's Kossuth Prize winning music writers, namely Ivan Madarász, and László Dubrovay.  

It is no exaggeration to say that J.S. Bach's monumental masterpiece, the St. John's Passion's April 12, 2019 presentation at the Győr Basilica could be GYPO's current 2018/19 season's pinnacle event as part of the Benedek Istvánffy's season ticket series. Exceptional musical experience is guaranteed by not only our city's orchestra but by top-notch Austrian vocalists as well, and not least by a world renown conductor of it all. The Győr Phil this time is to form musical partnership with the professional Arnold Schoenberg Choir of Vienna, established all the way back in 1972. The evening's conductor/choirmaster is incidentally a founding member of the choir, and also a Grammy Award winner himself, Erwin Ortner.

At the end of April GYPO travels to the Congress Center of Villach, Austria, to fulfill a bid to perform again with pianist Jasminka Stancul, conducted by Kálmán Berkes.