Bratislava program: the power of music, serving communities

In January 2025, members of the EOA - as the second event in their residency - took part in a week-long series of events in and around Bratislava, giving concerts at 30 different venues. Three permanent members of the Budapest Festival Orchestra and three young Slovak musicians joined the sixteen academists. The aim of the program - much like the community events the Budapest Festival Orchestra has been staging for years - is to bring music to audiences who otherwise rarely make it to concert halls. This allows residents of children's homes, nursing homes, hospitals and other community care institutions to share in the joy of music.

As part of the program, the artists gave two master classes at a vocational school for the musical arts: one for brass winds and one for string instruments. Students were not only able to hone their technical skills but also received enlightening professional tips and tricks from practicing musicians.

Select musical experiences and audience relations

Performing a range of pieces, five orchestral groups debuted between January 7 and 10 as part of the Bratislava program of the European Orchestra Academy.

The members of the wind quintet - Anna Pintér, Salomé Harth, Albín Blaho, Ziv Wainer Bobrowitz and Máté Harangozó - performed August Klughardt’s Wind Quintet, Jacques Ibert’s Trois Pièces Brèves (Three Short Pieces) and Dénes Ágay’s Five Easy Dances.

The string quartet of Alexey Stychkin, David Moosmann, Harriet Quick and Juraj Škoda performed pieces by Mozart, Bach, Kreisler, Schubert and Dvořák, while the string quartet of Lucrezia Costanzo, Birgit Born, Barbora Butvydajte and Tonka Javorovic played works by Haydn, Webern, Dvořák and Beethoven; the cello and double bass duet of Tonka Javorovic and Jenő Puporka performed pieces by Rossini and Haydn.

Various string quartet formations featuring Solvejg Wilding, Terézia Musutová, Éva Kóbor, Gábor Sipos and Alejandro Viana Herreros performed works by Mozart, Mendelssohn, Bizet, Elgar and Tchaikovsky.

The trombone quartet of Balázs Szakszon, Attila Sztán, Gergely Janák and Bálint Keresztesi performed pieces by Michael Praetorius, Saint-Saëns, Verhelst, Shaw and Frackenpohl.

“It was a privilege to be a part of these special musical moments. The performances and kindness of these young artists made a lasting impression on us,” a social worker from a Slovak organization participating in the project said of the experience.

The impact of Bratislava on participants and audiences

The focal point of the concert series was the community experience itself. The Bratislava residency program of the European Orchestra Academy proved once again that music can work miracles - and not only on stage, but also in the life of a community.

The events were unforgettable experiences for both participating musicians and audiences, and relied on the power of music to build bridges between people and cultures. The project made it clear: music belongs to everyone.

The collaboration between Slovak and Hungarian participants played a key role in the successful implementation of the project. Rehearsals in Budapest were held at the Annie Fischer Music School and the Pál Járdányi Music School; accommodations for participants were provided with the support of CityInn Hotel.

In Slovakia, accommodations for the musicians were provided free of charge by the Hotel Orchidea in Veľký Meder; three private supporters, using their own vehicles, provided transportation to the concert venues.

Adrian Rajter, an associate of the Bratislavské Hudobné Centrum, played a key role as on-site coordinator, providing assistance in maintaining contact with concert venues and Slovak language interpretation for the brass wind quartet.

Thanks go also to the Slovak musicians, who enriched the performances not only through their musical contributions but also by providing interpretation support and introducing the pieces in Slovak.