Budapest Strings Gala Concert to Honor Károly Botvay’s 92nd Birthday - Budapest Business Journal (original) (raw)

Liszt Academy will host a gala concert on Dec. 28, celebrating the 92nd birthday of Károly Botvay, founder of the Budapest Strings chamber orchestra and a towering figure in musical life.

Botvay, a professor emeritus at the Liszt Academy, is renowned for his multifaceted career as a cellist, chamber musician, orchestral leader, ensemble founder, artistic director, and teacher. His contributions to the arts have earned him numerous accolades, including the Liszt Ferenc Award, the Kossuth Award, the Bartók-Pásztory Award, and the Commander’s Cross of the Hungarian Order of Merit.

An Evening of Botvay’s Favorite Composers

The concert will feature works by Haydn, Mozart, and Schubert, selected as a tribute to Botvay’s enduring legacy and favorite repertoire.

Haydn’s Cello Concerto in C Major will be performed by Péter Somodari, a former member of the Budapest Strings and now the solo cellist of the Vienna Philharmonic. The selection holds special significance as Botvay himself performed alongside Somodari in Schubert’s String Quintet in C Major during the Budapest Strings’ Haydn Festival in Fertőd in 1998.

The second half of the evening will include Schubert’s String Quintet in C Major in its orchestral arrangement, a monumental piece renowned for its emotional depth and complexity.

The concert will begin with Mozart’s Symphony in G Major, KV 129, setting the tone for a night of masterful performances. The orchestra will be led by concertmaster János Pilz, a Liszt Prize-winning violinist.

A Tribute to a Musical Legacy

Károly Botvay, who continues to teach and give master classes, has been a pivotal figure in shaping Hungary’s classical music scene. This gala concert will celebrate his immeasurable contributions and his enduring passion for music, offering concertgoers a unique opportunity to honor his remarkable legacy.

The concert starts at 7:30 p.m. on December 28 in the Liszt Academy’s Great Hall.