The MÁV Symphony Orchestra will begin its 80th season in autumn 2025, following an outstanding concert season that brought multiple professional accolades. The orchestra received the Bartók Radio Music Award in the Concert of the Year category for its double jubilee performances conducted by Ken-Ichiro Kobayashi on May 24–25, 2024, as well as the Fidelio Concert of the Year 2024 award for the memorable performance conducted by Christoph Eschenbach on October 26, 2024, at the Liszt Academy.
On March 15 this year, András Fodor, the orchestra’s retired double bass player—who has been an active member for 66 years and now serves as head of the music library—was awarded the Hungarian Silver Cross of Merit.
The new season of the MÁV Symphony Orchestra offers memorable musical experiences in the spirit of tradition and renewal, celebrating the ensemble’s eight decades of artistic achievement. The 2025/26 season program was presented at a press conference by György Lendvai, the orchestra’s director, and Róbert Farkas, its principal conductor. Composer Gyula Bánkövi attended as a guest; his new work will premiere at the season-opening concert at the Liszt Academy.
The honorary guest, Éva Marton—founder of the International Éva Marton Singing Competition and Opera Studio—was unfortunately unable to attend due to illness, but sent a message expressing her gratitude for the orchestra’s support of young singers and her hope for continued collaboration in the coming season.
In the 2025/26 season, the orchestra welcomes audiences with five subscription series at prestigious venues such as the Liszt Academy of Music, Müpa Budapest, Festetics Palace, and the Hungarian National Museum. Concerts will feature outstanding Hungarian and international soloists and conductors.
Alongside performing the timeless masterpieces of classical music, the orchestra continues to prioritize new works, Hungarian premieres, and world premieres. The season-opening concert will feature the world premiere of LOCO by Gyula Bánkövi, composed for the orchestra to mark the 200th anniversary of the launch of the first public passenger railway. The evening will also include the Hungarian premiere of Wynton Marsalis’s Trumpet Concerto, performed by Gábor Tarkövi.
During the season, composer-conductor Gergely Vajda pays tribute to György Kurtág’s 100th birthday with his work …fantasia concertante…, while a special highlight will be Fazıl Say’s Mother Earth piano concerto, performed by the composer himself in its Hungarian debut.
Returning guest artists include cellist Miklós Perényi and world-renowned violinist Maxim Vengerov, with whom the orchestra maintains a long-standing artistic friendship. A particularly special event will be the joint performance of the entire Ránki family, presenting rarely performed triple piano concertos.
In addition to principal conductor Róbert Farkas, the season will feature distinguished conductors such as Christoph Eschenbach, Neeme Järvi—who will conduct a rarely performed symphony by Wilhelm Furtwängler—as well as Gábor Takács-Nagy, Gergely Madaras, Gábor Káli, Gergely Kesselyák, and János Kovács.
Supporting young talent remains a priority. Students from Budapest conservatories will perform as soloists in the long-running Concerts for Grandparents and Grandchildren series, held at the Hungarian National Museum and, as a second venue, the Eötvös10 Cultural Center.
A key event in supporting young musicians is the 11th International Masterclass of Jorma Panula, offering ten young conductors the opportunity to gain orchestral experience with the MÁV Symphony Orchestra. The orchestra also continues its collaboration with the conducting department of the Vienna Music Academy under Andrés Orozco-Estrada, as well as its long-standing partnership with the Liszt Academy, supporting student exam concerts and providing orchestral practice opportunities.
Following successful collaborations with prizewinners of the Éva Marton International Singing Competition, the new season will feature young singers from the International Opera Studio performing with the Scottish National Choir in works by Joseph Haydn.
The repertoire of the 2025/26 season reflects the orchestra’s progressive programming, dynamic development, artistic dedication, and strong commitment to its audience.
