Since winning the 1995 Lausanne Guitar Competition, Robi Dely has given concerts with several of his own bands alongside prominent figures in the Hungarian music scene. He and saxophonist János Vázsonyi have known each other since their studies, and building on this musical friendship, they have performed as a duo on numerous occasions. For this concert, their collaboration expands into a quartet with the contribution of György Frey and Zsolt Kovács. Consisting of original compositions and jazz standards, the program will be defined by the encounter of two different styles: while Vázsonyi leans more toward traditional jazz, Dely is closer to the genre’s progressive, experimental side.

József Balázs is one of the most recognized keyboard players of the middle generation in Hungary, who who is equally at home in the world of ethno-jazz and the mainstream of the genre. The pianist is the leader of the East Gipsy Band, which has been a smash hit at the legendary Blue Note in New York and the Detroit Jazz Festival. Since the formation of the Elemér Balázs Group, he has been the band's other main driving force alongside his brother, making his first recording debut with them (My New Way, 1997), and has been involved as an arranger and songwriter on all of the band's subsequent albums. He has played in the Kőszegi Quartet and has been a member of the László Dés Septet since 2003. In 2005 he joined the Contemporary Gregorian project together with his brother. He has performed with many world-famous musicians such as Randy Brecker, Erik Truffaz, Charlie Mariano, Pat Metheny, Robin Eubanks, Stéphane Belmondo, Bobby Watson and Steve Houben. In addition to his success in the jazz world, he is also recognised as an arranger and composer in other genres (pop, film music). 

Floating Beats is an open, fluid musical and visual platform where hip-hop rhythms, the freedom of jazz improvisation, atmospheric electronica, and acoustic instruments intertwine organically. Bence Dóczi (IMDB) uses a sampler, guitar, and effects to build deep, layered grooves and soundscapes, to which Dominik Kosztolánszki (Dom Beats) responds with singing, expressive melodies and psychedelic layers on saxophone, flute, synthesizers, and vocoders. Áron Horváth’s cimbalom adds a unique texture to the music with crystal-clear rhythms and rich resonances, while Pham Van Quan’s live visual alchemy shapes the entire concert experience in real time – sound and image thus forming an organic unity. The artistic goal of the project is to create a wide-ranging, floating, and pulsating soundscape where the boundaries between genres constantly dissolve: deep, hip-hop-inspired grooves alternate with moments of free improvisation, ambient atmospheres, and unexpected bursts of energy. This real-time creation is fueled by the strong chemistry between the musicians, their longtime shared musical history, and their constant, responsive interplay. The music thus becomes a living, dynamic entity, reimagined in a unique and unrepeatable way each time.

The group, which came together during jam sessions before classes, was formed in early 2024 under the leadership of Bálint Mravinac. They began their studies together at the Béla Bartók Conservatory and are currently students at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music, Budapest. The trio’s repertoire consists primarily of the members’ original compositions, which feature groove-oriented elements alongside those of modern jazz, rock, and free improvisation. The three young musicians attempt to push genre boundaries using the tools of intuitive musical self-expression. This time, their former teacher, Gábor Horváth Tojás, will also join the trio as a guest. 

The members of Symbiosis 5 met at the Liszt Academy of Music, Budapest and started working together in 2020. They have developed a repertoire of original compositions combining elements of modal and contemporary jazz. The ensemble performed on a major stage for the first time in 2021 at the Babel-Laureate World Jazz Competition, where they earned third place. Subsequently, in 2022, the ensemble gained recognition at international competitions abroad, winning first place at the Getxo International Jazz Competition and Festival and the Sibiu International Jazz Competition. They continue to collect prizes, for example, in January 2023 they not only won the Judge’s Award and the Audience Award at the Müpa Jazz Showcase, but also two special prizes. The group returns to the stage of Opus with a guest soloist, this time joined by cimbalom player Áron Horváth.  

Over the past decade, Júlia Karosi has performed her distinctive vocal repertoire on stages both in Hungary and abroad. She approached jazz from a classical background, which has left its mark not only on her high-level vocal technique and expressive tone, but also on her musical world and repertoire. In addition to her own compositions, she frequently draws on folk songs and works by classical composers ranging from Bartók and Kodály to Gershwin – yet even in these arrangements, she is always drawn to the personal, to what she can convey about herself and our contemporary world using the tools of jazz. Dániel Szabó is an internationally renowned, versatile jazz pianist and composer. In recent years, he has collaborated with world-famous artists such as Peter Erskine, Chris Potter, and Joe LaBarbera. His album Visionary topped the charts in the American jazz magazine JAZZIZ, and in the spring of 2022, he was invited to perform the final movement of Chick Corea’s Jazz Piano Concerto posthumously, alongside John Patitucci and Dave Weckl. The duo’s repertoire is based on original compositions, classical music, and folk song arrangements. Their performances are characterized by sweeping improvisations and bold dynamic shifts. The concert is a meeting of the diverse worlds of two extraordinary artists, a true musical journey spanning genres and styles.

Pianist and composer János Egri Jr. has been an active participant in the Hungarian and international jazz scene since the age of 18; his playing is characterized by an open and natural blend of modern mainstream jazz, classical traditions, and influences from contemporary and popular music. His distinctive sound, technical confidence, and improvisational freedom have been praised by world-renowned artists such as Antonio Faraò and Tony Lakatos. With his trio, he achieved outstanding success at the Müpa Jazz Showcase, where he won four special awards, followed by a series of concerts including at London’s 606 Club and the International Leibnitz Jazz Festival. His partners are the lyrically sensitive János Egri on bass, who shapes grooves with a sure hand, and the virtuoso Dávid Hodek on drums, who plays with elemental energy, both of whom create an inspiring and dynamic rhythmic foundation for their collaborative music-making. Attila László, a Liszt Ferenc Prize-winning jazz guitarist, composer, and teacher, enriches the trio’s sound with new dimensions as a guest artist. The concert program features primarily the band members’ own compositions, with a focus on the energetic, groove-centered world of fusion jazz – a meeting of modern sound, free improvisation, and lively, interactive music-making.

The Zoltán Kalmár Quartet reinterprets outstanding compositions from the classic hard bop era: they present the works of Wayne Shorter, Joe Henderson, Herbie Hancock, Miles Davis, and other jazz giants in new arrangements of their own. Their program also includes several original pieces that fit perfectly into this musical world. The quartet, which has been active for nearly ten years, is comprised of well-known figures in the Hungarian jazz scene: Balázs Raboczki (saxophone), Gábor Cseke (piano), Viktor Hárs (double bass), and Zoltán Kalmár (drums). At this concert, they will perform a selection from both their second album, Growing Roots, released last year, and their first album, Living Legacy.   

The Black Tea Group is an underground jazz band formed by students from the jazz department of the Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest; the four young musicians have been playing together in this lineup for a couple of years. Their repertoire draws primarily on the early days of avant-garde jazz, which at that time was associated with a very different image than it is today: it was considered a vibrant, energetic genre. However, the quartet is also drawn to drum’n’bass grooves, folk music elements, or even free jazz influences – in addition to their own compositions, they will perform jazz standards and folk song arrangements at this concert.

Péter Ajtai (double bass), János Bujdosó (guitar), Ádám Czitrom (guitar) and Attila Gyárfás (drums) are veteran characters from the Hungarian alternative jazz, rock, fusion and experimental music scenes, known from bands such as Qiyan, Mingus! Mingus! Mingus!, Bujdosó Trio, Pop Ivan, Európa Kiadó, Balaton, Jazzékiel, Quelquefois, and others. The quartet was formed in 2023 originally as a one-time formation, by invitation of Inverted Spectrum Records for the release event of the compilation album The Underground Jazz Scene in Budapest Today, but the captivating result of this novel combination of performers led to a long tenure within the Budapest avantgarde music scene. The improv quartet’s unpredictable concerts move freely in between gentle fusion, aggressive punk jazz, noise, psychedelic atmospheres, and other, unidentifiable territories, like a surreal sequence of moving images, as the four musicians that come from differing backgrounds and inclinations push their skills, energy, and creativity to their outer limits, alternating between the common grounds they occasionally find and the uncommon grounds they keep collectively exploring.

The Mario Rafael Trio’s unique sound is characterized by lyrical piano playing, a dynamic yet sensitive rhythm section, and boldly experimental improvisations. On the band’s latest album, the timeless beauty of classical music meets the freedom of modern jazz: Chopin and More rethinks Fryderyk Chopin’s best-known piano works for a jazz trio. The aim of the project is not only to shed new light on these Romantic piano pieces, but also to demonstrate just how vibrant, improvisational, and contemporary Chopin’s music can sound. In the trio’s performance, the subtlety of classical harmonies and the rhythmic freedom of jazz are organically interwoven, creating space for the magic born in the moment. The arrangements featured on the album serve as a bridge connecting the worlds of past and present, classical and jazz music, composition and spontaneity – in this way, the trio both pays homage to the composer and articulates its own musical confession that Chopin’s melodies still remain capable of inspiring, stirring emotions, and resonating in new forms.  

The Electric Bebop Band Budapest was founded in early 2023, inspired by Péter Cseh. The connection with Paul Motian's band of the same name is obvious, which, under the leadership of the legendary jazz drummer, acted as a kind of musical incubator in the last decade of the previous millennium – names like Kurt Rosenwinkel, Ben Monder and Joshua Redman turned up there in their youth. For the six members of this unique, multi-generational band, the search for and experience of freedom is the most important common denominator. The repertoire is made up of now-classic pieces by outstanding figures of the bebop era, such as Monk, Parker and Bud Powell, which give new generations of musicians the opportunity to reinterpret and express themselves through them.

István Grencsó and Lewis Jordan have known each other for more than two decades. At their concerts, a whirlwind of improvisation sweeps them and the audience away, and their collaborative work is documented on two acclaimed albums released by BMC Records (Homespun in Black and White, 2009, and Local Time, 2011). Grencsó employs a whole arsenal of wind instruments, while California-based Jordan – leader of the band Music at Large – plays the alto saxophone and enriches the performance with his poetry. Their collaboration truly flourishes in an atmosphere of free musical exploration – this time, they are joined by Zoltán Kováts and Zsolt Sárvári Kovács in the rhythm section as traveling companions and conversation partners.

The Gábor Horváth Tojás Trio’s latest, sixth album, to be released in the fall of 2026, was recorded in collaboration with the Cheeky Choir, blending the band’s jazz-rooted work with the vibrant hues of world music. What makes this project special is the encounter between instrumental improvisation and choral culture, as well as a fresh soundscape that draws on the freedom of jazz on the one hand and the richness of world music motifs on the other. In addition to the trio’s own compositions, the concert program features arrangements of Bulgarian, Greek, African, and, of course, Hungarian folk music, which the band performs together with the 25-member Cheeky Choir – this collaboration creates a cross-cultural evening whose magic is sure to captivate the audience.    

The Lóránt Péch Quartet is one of the most noteworthy ensembles of the younger generation of Hungarian jazz. Formed in 2023 at the initiative of pianist-composer Lóránt Péch, the band represents a unique musical world in which contemporary acoustic jazz blends elements of modern and traditional sounds, subtly interwoven with classical music influences. The band members are current or former students of the jazz department at the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music, Budapest. Despite their young age, they have already performed for audiences at numerous Hungarian and international jazz clubs and festivals. This year, the group won the Audience Award at the Müpa Jazz Showcase, in addition to several special awards.

Refrection is the first project by drummer Dániel Serei as a bandleader. The quintet is a musical reaction to the experience of the first decades of the 21st century, to the joyful and traumatic moments lived every day. The contradiction of sometimes frolicking in a world of technological developments and communication networks, and at other times wanting to hide from everything and everyone. Refrection, while pushing genre boundaries and mixing musical styles, focuses on the musical representation of everyday beauty and harmony. The bandleader has previously performed with the Budapest Jazz Orchestra, Pankastic and the Krisztián Oláh Quartet, among others. In 2015, he was named Best Soloist in the Hungarian Jazz Combo Competition.

The Legacy of Native Sense is a duo formed within the walls of the Liszt Academy of Music that draws inspiration from the shared musical world of Chick Corea and Gary Burton. The project takes its starting point from the album Native Sense, reflecting a musical approach that emphasizes openness, curiosity, and the natural convergence of diverse influences. The collaboration between Corea and Burton is particularly exciting because their playing simultaneously embodies the improvisational freedom of jazz, the precision of classical musical thought, and a sensitivity to Latin American and folk music elements. In their work, technical mastery is never an end in itself, but rather a tool for musical communication built on spontaneity and mutual attentiveness. “For us, Native Sense primarily represents a creative attitude in which respect for tradition and the personal search for one’s own musical path are not in opposition to one another, but rather reinforce each other. This duality forms the foundation of the group’s identity and also serves as the starting point for our musical thinking,” said the two young musicians.

Virág Czakó is one of the most promising talents of the new generation of Hungarian jazz, who founded her current band four years ago. Although she performs less often in Hungary due to her studies abroad, she regularly returns during the summer to give concerts. The young singer has been inspired by such great performers as Shirley Horn, Carmen McRae, and Diana Krall; at the same time, in addition to traditional pieces, the modern instrumental compositions of Brad Mehldau and Pat Metheny also have a significant influence on her style of performance. The concert will feature popular American jazz standards as well as Latin bossa novas and groove-infused arrangements. The other members of the band – Attila Rieger (guitar), Ambrus Richter (drums), and Péter Czakó – are already well known from outstanding acts on the Hungarian jazz scene. As a special guest, Gábor Cselik will join the band on piano, expanding the lineup to a quintet.

What happens if we cross a violin with a tárogató? We get the first member of the Glissonic family of instruments, the Glissotar. Winner of both the Grand Prize and the Audience Prize at the Guthman Musical Instrument Competition 2022 in Atlanta, this unique instrument is the brainchild of Dániel Váczi, developed in collaboration with designer Tóbiás Terebessy. The main novelty of the Glissonic family of instruments is that instead of holes, the pitch can be controlled with a longitudinal slot and a magnetic strip, so that – like on a violin string – long glissandos, tremolos and microtonal tones can be played, and the instrument can also be used to produce unusual, special effects. In 2026, the Glissopipe – the second member of the instrument family, resembling a flute – was unveiled as part of a successful Kickstarter campaign. Dániel Váczi exploits the potential of this new instrument with his trio. His partners are two great figures of the Hungarian free and experimental jazz scene, Máté Pozsár, with whom Dániel also plays in the Decolonize Your Mind Society band, and Zsolt Sárvári Kovács, with whom Dániel has been playing in various bands for twenty-five years. The band’s first album, Rebus, was released in 2021, followed in 2024 by Interplanetary Posts and, most recently, Urobo. In their current program, they draw on the material of these albums, complemented with new compositions and concepts. The evening’s guest will be the outstanding Swedish saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist Jonas Kullhammar, who is one of the first musicians to play the Glissotar.  

Despite their classic guitar, bass and drum lineup, Abstract is not a mainstream trio: their music offers a unique blend of jazz, folk, blues, avant-garde, ambient, and post-rock. They have been performing at clubs and festivals across Hungary since 2018, and their artistic journey is documented on two albums (Where Are We Going?, 2018; A Fine Line In Between, 2020) and a live recording (Live ‘20, 2022). They explore the open spaces of song-like themes – which provide a great foundation for both expressive outbursts and moments of deep reflection – with a jazz-rooted attitude and the curiosity of experimentation. Their program A Grey Fox Ran Across the Prairie draws on personal impressions and ideas. It consists of narrative-style pieces that give wings to our imagination without becoming program music: they invite listeners to engage in a colorful and exciting game of free association, while searching for moments of freedom, peace, love, and beauty across landscapes that are at times familiar and at times weird.  

Led by saxophonist and composer Maksymilian Wilk, the Polish jazz quartet JuMa is preparing the release of its new album, Between Tides. The record marks the next chapter in the band's artistic development, following a series of concerts, recordings, and appearances at jazz competitions and festivals across Poland and Europe. JuMa's previous releases include the live album JuMa Band – Live in Oliva, Fuzje Trójmiasta, and The Chapel – Live in Narol. Each project documented a different stage in the ensemble's evolution – from capturing the immediacy of live performance, through music rooted in the artistic identity of Poland's Tri-City region, to explorations shaped by architectural space, acoustics, and increasingly open musical forms. With Between Tides, the quartet continues this artistic journey by combining contemporary jazz, collective improvisation, open-form composition, and the spacious sound world associated with Nordic jazz. The music is built around the dialogue between composed material and improvisation, with the musicians collectively shaping the form and direction of each performance. The quartet was selected as a finalist of the Jazz Juniors Competition in Kraków in 2025.  

Elsa Valle, who masterfully channels Afro-Cuban rhythms and melodies, returns to the Opus stage with her most ambitious and personal production to date. During this exclusive premiere, she will present new original compositions that elevate her artistry to even greater technical and emotional heights than before. The evening’s program unfolds through duets and exciting musical dialogues between her voice and the instruments, brimming with drama and dynamism. The concert promises to be a captivating, magical experience that will hold the audience spellbound from the first note to the last, sweeping them straight into euphoria and redefining the concept of Latin jazz.

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MAO meets the masters! – the Autumn Concert Series of the Modern ArtOrchestra What happens when a composer truly encounters the artists who shaped their musicalthinking? They do not simply quote or imitate them — they question, reflect, and continuethe conversation. MAO meets the masters! is the autumn concert series of the Modern Art Orchestra, bringing these deeply personal and artistic encounters to life. Closely connected composers and arrangers of the orchestra enter into dialogue with internationally acclaimed masters — not merely as a tribute, but as a living contemporary reflection. The iconic figures of big band history appear here as sources of inspiration, while today’s composers speak in their own voice. Familiar musical languages meet new ideas, and past and present illuminate one another. Each evening features two performances (6:30 PM and 9:00 PM), offering audiences the chance to experience these unique musical dialogues from different perspectives. The opening concert focuses on the meeting of Kornél Fekete-Kovács and Bob Brookmeyer. Brookmeyer was one of the greatest innovators of modern big band writing. His music is characterized by transparent forms, finely layered textures, and sophisticated harmonic thinking. His work fundamentally shaped the sound of contemporary large ensemble jazz inthe late twentieth century. The compositional world of Kornél Fekete-Kovács approaches form and orchestral color with a similar sensitivity: structural clarity and lyrical expression are equally essential elements of his music. This evening is not only about influence, but about the encounter of genuine musical mindsets — where Brookmeyer’s transparent complexity finds a contemporary continuation.

MAO meets the masters! – the Autumn Concert Series of the Modern ArtOrchestra What happens when a composer truly encounters the artists who shaped their musicalthinking? They do not simply quote or imitate them — they question, reflect, and continuethe conversation. MAO meets the masters! is the autumn concert series of the Modern Art Orchestra, bringing these deeply personal and artistic encounters to life. Closely connected composers and arrangers of the orchestra enter into dialogue with internationally acclaimed masters — not merely as a tribute, but as a living contemporary reflection. The iconic figures of big band history appear here as sources of inspiration, while today’s composers speak in their own voice. Familiar musical languages meet new ideas, and past and present illuminate one another. Each evening features two performances (6:30 PM and 9:00 PM), offering audiences the chance to experience these unique musical dialogues from different perspectives. The opening concert focuses on the meeting of Kornél Fekete-Kovács and Bob Brookmeyer. Brookmeyer was one of the greatest innovators of modern big band writing. His music is characterized by transparent forms, finely layered textures, and sophisticated harmonic thinking. His work fundamentally shaped the sound of contemporary large ensemble jazz inthe late twentieth century. The compositional world of Kornél Fekete-Kovács approaches form and orchestral color with a similar sensitivity: structural clarity and lyrical expression are equally essential elements of his music. This evening is not only about influence, but about the encounter of genuine musical mindsets — where Brookmeyer’s transparent complexity finds a contemporary continuation.

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MAO meets the masters! – the Autumn Concert Series of the Modern ArtOrchestra What happens when a composer truly encounters the artists who shaped their musicalthinking? They do not simply quote or imitate them — they question, reflect, and continuethe conversation. MAO meets the masters! is the autumn concert series of the Modern Art Orchestra, bringing these deeply personal and artistic encounters to life. Closely connected composers and arrangers of the orchestra enter into dialogue with internationally acclaimed masters — not merely as a tribute, but as a living contemporary reflection. The iconic figures of big band history appear here as sources of inspiration, while today’s composers speak in their own voice. Familiar musical languages meet new ideas, and past and present illuminate one another. Each evening features two performances (6:30 PM and 9:00 PM), offering audiences the chance to experience these unique musical dialogues from different perspectives. The second concert brings together Illés Szabó and the rich, multi-layered musical universeof Pat Metheny. Illés Szabó is one of the versatile voices of the younger Hungarian jazz generation, active as a guitarist composer, and arranger. Winner of the 2021 Big Band Composer Competition of the Hungarian Jazz Federation, he studied at the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music and the Conservatorium van Amsterdam. Pat Metheny is one of the broadest musical horizons in contemporary jazz. His music combines lyrical melodic writing, atmospheric textures, and groove-oriented thinking while constantly expanding the boundaries of the genre. His compositions are both accessible and complex, immediate yet deeply crafted. A special feature of the concert is that Metheny’s compositions will be performed in large ensemble arrangements created by the outstanding Bob Curnow and Illés Szabó. The original pieces appear in a new orchestral light while preserving the unmistakable atmosphere of Metheny’s musical world.

MAO meets the masters! – the Autumn Concert Series of the Modern ArtOrchestra What happens when a composer truly encounters the artists who shaped their musicalthinking? They do not simply quote or imitate them — they question, reflect, and continuethe conversation. MAO meets the masters! is the autumn concert series of the Modern Art Orchestra, bringing these deeply personal and artistic encounters to life. Closely connected composers and arrangers of the orchestra enter into dialogue with internationally acclaimed masters — not merely as a tribute, but as a living contemporary reflection. The iconic figures of big band history appear here as sources of inspiration, while today’s composers speak in their own voice. Familiar musical languages meet new ideas, and past and present illuminate one another. Each evening features two performances (6:30 PM and 9:00 PM), offering audiences the chance to experience these unique musical dialogues from different perspectives. The second concert brings together Illés Szabó and the rich, multi-layered musical universeof Pat Metheny. Illés Szabó is one of the versatile voices of the younger Hungarian jazz generation, active as a guitarist composer, and arranger. Winner of the 2021 Big Band Composer Competition of the Hungarian Jazz Federation, he studied at the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music and the Conservatorium van Amsterdam. Pat Metheny is one of the broadest musical horizons in contemporary jazz. His music combines lyrical melodic writing, atmospheric textures, and groove-oriented thinking while constantly expanding the boundaries of the genre. His compositions are both accessible and complex, immediate yet deeply crafted. A special feature of the concert is that Metheny’s compositions will be performed in large ensemble arrangements created by the outstanding Bob Curnow and Illés Szabó. The original pieces appear in a new orchestral light while preserving the unmistakable atmosphere of Metheny’s musical world.

MAO meets the masters! – the Autumn Concert Series of the Modern ArtOrchestra What happens when a composer truly encounters the artists who shaped their musicalthinking? They do not simply quote or imitate them — they question, reflect, and continuethe conversation. MAO meets the masters! is the autumn concert series of the Modern Art Orchestra, bringing these deeply personal and artistic encounters to life. Closely connected composers and arrangers of the orchestra enter into dialogue with internationally acclaimed masters — not merely as a tribute, but as a living contemporary reflection. The iconic figures of big band history appear here as sources of inspiration, while today’s composers speak in their own voice. Familiar musical languages meet new ideas, and past and present illuminate one another. Each evening features two performances (6:30 PM and 9:00 PM), offering audiences the chance to experience these unique musical dialogues from different perspectives. The third evening centers on the meeting of Cseke Gábor and Maria Schneider. Maria Schneider is one of the defining figures of contemporary big band music. Her compositions are known for their extraordinary orchestral sensitivity, organic sense of form, and powerful emotional arcs. Her music often unfolds like sonic landscapes, filled with subtle dynamics and rich textures. As both composer and performer, Cseke Gábor is recognized for his sensitivity to detail, balancing complex structures with freer improvisational thinking. This concert promises an especially rich and nuanced world of sound, where the big band can sometimes achieve the intimacy and delicacy of chamber music.

MAO meets the masters! – the Autumn Concert Series of the Modern ArtOrchestra What happens when a composer truly encounters the artists who shaped their musicalthinking? They do not simply quote or imitate them — they question, reflect, and continuethe conversation. MAO meets the masters! is the autumn concert series of the Modern Art Orchestra, bringing these deeply personal and artistic encounters to life. Closely connected composers and arrangers of the orchestra enter into dialogue with internationally acclaimed masters — not merely as a tribute, but as a living contemporary reflection. The iconic figures of big band history appear here as sources of inspiration, while today’s composers speak in their own voice. Familiar musical languages meet new ideas, and past and present illuminate one another. Each evening features two performances (6:30 PM and 9:00 PM), offering audiences the chance to experience these unique musical dialogues from different perspectives. The third evening centers on the meeting of Cseke Gábor and Maria Schneider. Maria Schneider is one of the defining figures of contemporary big band music. Her compositions are known for their extraordinary orchestral sensitivity, organic sense of form, and powerful emotional arcs. Her music often unfolds like sonic landscapes, filled with subtle dynamics and rich textures. As both composer and performer, Cseke Gábor is recognized for his sensitivity to detail, balancing complex structures with freer improvisational thinking. This concert promises an especially rich and nuanced world of sound, where the big band can sometimes achieve the intimacy and delicacy of chamber music.

MAO meets the masters! – the Autumn Concert Series of the Modern ArtOrchestra What happens when a composer truly encounters the artists who shaped their musicalthinking? They do not simply quote or imitate them — they question, reflect, and continuethe conversation. MAO meets the masters! is the autumn concert series of the Modern Art Orchestra, bringing these deeply personal and artistic encounters to life. Closely connected composers and arrangers of the orchestra enter into dialogue with internationally acclaimed masters — not merely as a tribute, but as a living contemporary reflection. The iconic figures of big band history appear here as sources of inspiration, while today’s composers speak in their own voice. Familiar musical languages meet new ideas, and past and present illuminate one another. Each evening features two performances (6:30 PM and 9:00 PM), offering audiences the chance to experience these unique musical dialogues from different perspectives. The closing concert of the series presents Attila Korb in dialogue with the legacy of Thad Jones. Thad Jones represents one of the highest peaks of modern big band writing: his music combines driving swing grooves, deep blues roots, and masterful orchestration in a uniquely powerful way. His compositions are energetic, yet full of subtle and unexpected details. Attila Korb’s musical world is also deeply connected to this tradition while striving for a contemporary voice. The concert selection will reflect the atmosphere of the Advent season, where festive moods meet the energy of swing. Through the shared language of blues and groove, the evening offers a joyful yet sophisticated musical experienc — a fitting finale to the series.

MAO meets the masters! – the Autumn Concert Series of the Modern ArtOrchestra What happens when a composer truly encounters the artists who shaped their musicalthinking? They do not simply quote or imitate them — they question, reflect, and continuethe conversation. MAO meets the masters! is the autumn concert series of the Modern Art Orchestra, bringing these deeply personal and artistic encounters to life. Closely connected composers and arrangers of the orchestra enter into dialogue with internationally acclaimed masters — not merely as a tribute, but as a living contemporary reflection. The iconic figures of big band history appear here as sources of inspiration, while today’s composers speak in their own voice. Familiar musical languages meet new ideas, and past and present illuminate one another. Each evening features two performances (6:30 PM and 9:00 PM), offering audiences the chance to experience these unique musical dialogues from different perspectives. The closing concert of the series presents Attila Korb in dialogue with the legacy of Thad Jones. Thad Jones represents one of the highest peaks of modern big band writing: his music combines driving swing grooves, deep blues roots, and masterful orchestration in a uniquely powerful way. His compositions are energetic, yet full of subtle and unexpected details. Attila Korb’s musical world is also deeply connected to this tradition while striving for a contemporary voice. The concert selection will reflect the atmosphere of the Advent season, where festive moods meet the energy of swing. Through the shared language of blues and groove, the evening offers a joyful yet sophisticated musical experienc — a fitting finale to the series.