János Kovács & Liszt Academy Symphony Orchestra (excerpt)

Since the autumn of 2014 students of the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music have had the opportunity of working under the baton of leading, internationally-acknowledged conductors, thereby sampling what it is really like being involved in professional music. Among the list of ‘orchestra masters’ who have directed the young musicians are the likes of György Vashegyi, Ken-Ichiro Kobayashi and Zoltán Kocsis. On this recording they are conducted by Kossuth Prize holder and Artist of Merit János Kovács, with Hungarian classics of the first half of the 20th century on the programme. Ernő Dohnányi’s energetic Festive Overture and lyrical Concert Piece for violoncello and orchestra are followed by the single-movement masterpiece by Béla Bartók, Duke Bluebeard’s Castle. Young cellist Eszter Karasszon is instrumental soloist, while two Liszt Prize laureates, mezzo-soprano Andrea Meláth (head of department at the Liszt Academy) and bass Péter Fried, are enlisted to sing in Bluebeard.