Three years ago, the Budapest Festival Orchestra began its series of free Community Week concert series, in which it brings music to deserted, abandoned regional synagogues, village churches, homes for the elderly and long-term child-care institutions.
The reception of the Synagogue concert series has exceeded all expectations. The locals are highly enthusiastic; everywhere, they fill the pews of the synagogues and revive memories of the Jewish community which once lived there, before they were wiped out. News of the Synagogue concerts has spread across the world, and many people have returned to visit Hungary and their former communities. The BFO’s chamber ensembles will be playing in Orosháza on May 3, in Tokaj on May 4, and in Esztergom on May 7. (The Synagogue Concerts are a joint production by the Budapest Festival Orchestra, the Unified Hungarian Jewish Congregation and the Federation of Hungarian Jewish Communities.)
Meanwhile, the series of church concerts featuring the works of Johann Sebastian Bach are also continuing, performed by the orchestra’s baroque ensemble on period instruments with gut strings in Catholic, Evangelical and Protestant churches: on May 3 in Kiskőrös, on May 4 in Balassagyarmat, and in Debrecen on May 5.
The managers of the Cegléd Social Services and Child Welfare Centre once wrote to the Festival Orchestra that “words cannot describe the cheering and healing effect that these exquisitely performed musical works had on our elderly and ill patients, and how uplifting and energising the concert was for us and our staff”. This week the musicians of the orchestra will be visiting twelve homes for the elderly: in addition to Budapest, free concerts will also take place in Dabas-Gyón, Kiskunfélegyháza, Dunakeszi and Nagymágocs.
As well, the Festival Orchestra will be taking its interactive Music Castle programme to children in Zsámbék, Kisújszállás and to the Van Helyed (You Have a Place) Foundation in Ózd. The Festival Orchestra’s tuba player, József Bazsinka summed up the essence of community concerts: “For me, playing for children, the elderly, young people, or people with disabilities is a chance to give them what matters the most to me: love”.
COMMUNITY WEEK DETAILED SCHEDULE:
CHURCH CONCERTS
3rd May 2017, 7 p.m. Roman Catholic church, Kiskőrös, Tomori u. 2.
4th May 2017, 6 p.m. Evangelical church, Balassagyarmat, Kossuth Lajos u. 36-38.
5th May 2017, 6 p.m. Lencztelep Protestant church, Debrecen, Cseresznye u. 40.
SYNAGOGUE CONCERTS
3rd May 2017, 6 p.m. House of Arts, Orosháza, Bajcsy-Zsilinszky u. 2/A
4th May 2017, 7 p.m. Tokaj Cultural and Conference Centre, Tokaj, Serház út 55.
7th May 2017, 5 p.m. Cultural Centre, Esztergom, Imaház u. 2/a
MUSIC CASTLE
2nd May 2017, 2 p.m. Catharineum, Zsámbék
3rd May 2017, 2 p.m. Kossuth Lajos Baptist Primary School, Kisújszállás
4th May 2017, 2 p.m. Van Helyed Studio, Ózd
CONCERTS IN NURSING HOMES
2nd May 2017, 10 a.m. Boldog Gizella Nursing Home, Biatorbágy
2nd May 2017, 2 p.m. Vázsonyi Vilmos Nursing Home, Budapest
2nd May 2017, 2 p.m. Senectus Nursing Home, Budapest
2nd May 2017, 3 p.m. Somogy County Dr. Takács Imre Social Nursing Home, Patalom
3rd May 2017, 10 a.m. Zárdakert Nursing Home, Dabas-Gyón
3rd May 2017, 10:30 a.m. Aranysziget Nagymágocs Castle Home
3rd May 2017, 2:30 p.m. Szivárvány Nursing Home, Kiskunfélegyháza
3rd May 2017, 3 p.m. St. Anna Nursing Home, Diósd
3rd May 2017, 3 p.m. Kék Duna Nursing Home, Sződliget
4th May 2017, 10:30 a.m. Kútvölgyi Út Nursing Home, Budapest
4th May 2017, 2 p.m. Dunakeszi Nursing Home
4th May 2017, 2:30 p.m. Heart of Jesus Society Nursing Home, Pécel
