The concerts on 1 and 2 of April were eagerly awaited and they attracted a great number of audience. On the first night Beethoven’s Violin Concerto was performed featuring Baiba Skride who had played with the National Philharmonic on our tour in the Netherlands. Germany and Austria in 2013. This was followed by Dvorák Symphony no. 9, „ New World”- causing standing ovation.
The next day Zoltán Kocsis was playing and conducting at the same time Mozart Piano Concerto in G major which was quite unique and rarely experienced by the audience.
While in Istanbul, our General Director Géza Kovács met the dominant figures in Turkish music life, who were open to further cooperation. They agreed that next year, which will be the 70 anniversary of Bartók’s death, the orchestra would return to Istanbul with a program including Bartók and the most prominent Turkish composers’ works. Béla Bartók is one of the most well known composers in Turkey who has had a great affect on Turkish composers.