Although many young musicians have joined the Festival Orchestra over the past three decades, there is an increasing need for young musical talent in its ranks. That is why the orchestra, considered one of the world’s top ten classical music ensembles, has launched a talent scout and incentive program.
“It’s not an easy task to find the best young musicians. A great number of Hungarians now continue their studies abroad, which means that the Liszt Academy is no longer the only place to go to for Hungarian talents”, explained managing director Orsolya Erdődy. An important aim of the Festival Orchestra is to find them nevertheless, and offer them attractive prospects for the future. This requires systematic work. “Talented people don’t just need to be found but also nurtured and prepared for future participation in the BFO’s musical activities”, said music director Iván Fischer. Great opportunities to involve new talent could be, for example, the orchestra’s famous Cocoa Concerts or Community Weeks, where the musicians perform in churches, old synagogues and retirement homes.
The comprehensive program is supported by the AutoWallis Group: the car sales company, operating in 14 countries in the region, will help the orchestra to nurture young talent over the next four years. “AutoWallis Group is delighted to support the Budapest Festival Orchestra, as we believe that we have many shared values. In addition to quality, these include innovation, openness, and having no boundaries. We are proud to cooperate with the BFO as a key supporter of their talent scout and incentive program,” said CEO Gábor Ormosy. “This noble task will be entrusted to the most experienced of our wind musicians, who, thanks to the supported program, after three decades of intensive work, will now be able to dedicate time to finding the best talent and providing their musical education,” added Orsolya Erdődy. The program is led by tuba player József Bazsinka, who has been a member of the Festival Orchestra for nearly 30 years. “The task I’ve been given is highly rewarding, but also quite hard. Every bright-eyed child in Hungary who learns music lives a unique life with his or her own talent. At the moment, we are following the development of eleven talented young people who are all outstandingly gifted; they deserve the attention and to be helped with using the BFO’s knowledge and opportunities,” said József Bazsinka.
Children’s musical education has always been a priority for the Festival Orchestra: Their Cocoa Concerts have been extremely popular for decades, while their Music Castle story-concerts can reach even the tiniest villages in Hungary. The Choose your Instrument programs help kids to decide which musical instrument to learn. This Saturday, on the occasion of their free annual family day at Aquincum Museum, they will welcome children to enjoy musical programs throughout the day. They now also help kids to learn about classical music online, introducing them to the basics through short light-hearted films and quizzes on the Discover the BFO site.
