Concerts in September

The Győr Philharmonic Orchestra's new season, subtitled "New Discoveries", has officially been opened by a short concert given by the Győr Chamber Orchestra, formed last year from members of GYPO. Masterpieces from the ensamble's standard repertoire by J. S. Bach, W. A. Mozart, Samuel Barber, and Edward Grieg were performed outdoor on September 5, 2019, at an exotically new location, in the garden of the Old Evangelical Church of Győr. Soloists of the noon event were the outstanding principals of GYPO's viola section, Marine Szépszabó, and Zoltán Tácsik. The Chamber Orchestra was conducted by Artistic Director Kálmán Berkes.

The season-opening concert / press conference was followed by a short trip to the no less exotic location of a medieval castle in Perchtoldsdorf, Germany, where on September 14, GYPO performed two grandiose works by Austian composer, Anton Bruckner, namely his religious work called "Te Deum" for orchestra and choir, followed by his Symphony no.4, also known as the "Romantic Symphony". The concert featured well-known local vocalists, as well as a Viennese choir, the Mödlinger Singakademie. The event was conducted by Antal Barnás.
          As mentioned above, GYPO's current, 2019/20 orchestra season is subtitled "New Discoveries" for the good reason of bringing back pieces of music as well as performers long not to have been around. They may strike our audience as something of a novelty that after many years of absence we are to welcome back Kossuth Prize holding conductor, Ádám Medveczky. Under his baton, on September 19, the orchestra is scheduled to play the "Solemn Overture" by contemporary composer László Dubrovay, before Béla Bartók's astonishing suite, "The Wooden Prince" is performed. The concert is concluded by Rymsky Korsakov's timelessly enchanting symphonic poem, the "Scheherezade", featuring violin solos by concertmaster Nóra Györe.   
          Our city's excellent group of musicians had already presented itself a number of times at Győr's Audi Arena. This time around the occasion is none other than the 5th anniversary of the Arena's existence. This multi-functional venue can be visited free of charge on September 21, when the celebratory show will have onstage two Győr-born singers, Bogi Dallos, and Alfréd Gábor Fehérvári, better known as "Freddie", under the conducting of Márton Rácz.
          It is no surprise that GYPO's usual regional appearances in Mosonmagyaróvár, Sopron, Tatabánya, Veszprém, and just across the border in Dunaszerdahely, are to continue this year, also. The first stop is the September 23 concert in Veszprém, followed a day later in Tatabánya where the unique Dubrovay / Bartók / Korsakov program mentioned above is played yet again twice.
          The International Day of Music this year is marked again by performing two giant works of music on September 27 in Sopron, then on the last day of the month in Mosonmagyaróvár. Edward Grieg's only concerto, written for piano in A minor, will be played both times by one of Hungary's leading young pianists, József Balog. The second half of the concert offers the C minor symphony by Johannes Brahms. As usual on this notable day, both evening's program is conducted by Kálmán Berkes.