Programme:

Kornél Fekete-Kovács : PRELUDE TO THE NIGHT
Zoltán Kodály: ESTE
Gábor Subicz: DETERMINATION
Zoltán Kodály: SIRATÓ ÉNEK
János Ávéd: ETERNITY
Kornél Fekete-Kovács: FALSE CALL
Zoltán Kodály: CSALFA SUGÁR
Kristóf Bacsó: THE SCAMP
Zoltán Kodály: MÁTRAI KÉPEK
Gábor Cseke: LOYALTY
Kornél Fekete-Kovács: DUSK
Zoltán Kodály: FÖLSZÁLLOTT A PÁVA
Kristóf Bacsó: THE PEACOCK
Kornél Fekete-Kovács: GYERMEKEK ÉNEKE
Zoltán Kodály: TÚRÓT ESZIK A CIGÁNY

Hungarian National Choir (choirmaster: Csaba Somos)

Modern Art Orchestra (bandleader: Kornél Fekete-Kovács)

Conductor: Kornél Fekete-Kovács and Csaba Somos (a cappella works)

Since its foundation in 2005 the Modern Art Orchestra gives highlighted attention to re-evaluating the boundaries of musical genres. The band has taken up the mission to express and pass on the traditional Hungarian music with in-depth understanding. The orchestra’s 2018 project, the MAO plays Béla Bartók – Fifteen Hungarian Peasant Songs was the opening work of the series paying homage to legendary Hungarian composers. The Hungarian premiere of the constantly successful performance was awarded with Artisjus Award. The orchestra and the composers of the musical workshop existing around MAO pay tribute to Zoltán Kodály as the second part of the series according to the concept of Kornél Fekete-Kovács, the artistic director of the band.

The oeuvre of Kodály had a tremendous effect upon the Hungarian music of the 20th century. This can be captured in the flourishing of the choir movement and its literature. Their joint successes of recent years have clearly demonstrated that the Hungarian National Choir will be MAO’s outstanding partner in performing this special program, as the ensemble has been nurturing the tradition of choral music at the highest level for decades. The Modern Art Orchestra continually inspires the composers and keeps their pieces on repertoire constantly to bring contemporary music closer to the audience, to make high-level instrumental music lovable and spread quality music listening without any boundaries of genres.

Performing Fölszállott a páva – A Tribute to Zoltán Kodály the MAO and the National Choir salutes the life work and spirit of one of Hungary’s most influential composer, music professor, educator and folk music researcher, Zoltán Kodály. Besides Kodály’s music settings of poems and folk song suites, the MAO’s composers: János Ávéd, Kristóf Bacsó, Gábor Cseke, Kornél Fekete-Kovács and Gábor Subicz articulate the language of contemporary music with their pieces. Along with the vocalization of the original choral works featured in the repertoire the choir will play an emphasized role in the performance of the fresh compositions as well.

“There is no good musician without choir singing”, stated Kodály in his writing Who Is a Good Musician?