Pannon Philharmonic

One of the major tasks of Zsolt Horváth was managing the change that was followed by a division of the former 95-people-strong orchestra, operating as an integrated institution, for two organizational units; and the creation of the 73-musician concert orchestra and the 22-musician theater ensemble, the Pécs Symphonietta. The key to the effectiveness of the orchestra was the company's repositioning and as part of the consciously structured marketing strategy, the orchestra changed name, so that since 2004, the audience can enjoy concerts of the Pannon Philharmonic. The ensemble of Pécs is the only symphony orchestra residing not in the capital that has a regular season ticket series in Budapest; while as the resident orchestra of the concert hall that was built in relation to the European Capital of Culture year sets up 42 production on stage annually in the city; and created five new program series to offer links to the classical music for music lovers of all ages.

Over the past ten years, the number of the Pannon Philharmonic own programs has been more than tripled; in 2003, there were 33, while in the 2012/2013 season, the orchestra has  115 different orchestral performances. The number of ticket buyers for the orchestra’s programs has increased sharply year by year; compared to 2003, it has been almost tripled. So did the number of the season ticket owners; the orchestra has now nearly 3,000 subscribers. 

In ten years, about 200 thousand visitors came; 90 thousand tickets and a total of about 22 thousand season tickets were sold for the Pannon Philharmonic’s six hundred different, own symphony concerts.

Zsolt Horváth as a musician joined to the Pécs Symphony Orchestra in 1996. As a trumpet artist, he obtained his degree with Austrian state honors at the Vienna Music Academy, where he wrote his thesis about the 190-year-old history of the orchestra of Pécs. Later, at the University of Pécs, he also earned an economics degree; there, his diploma thesis was a marketing strategy for the Pécs Symphony Orchestra. From 1997, as the union leader of the ensemble, he had been present at the making of decisions affecting the orchestra’s life; so after the resignation of the former leader, he was appointed temporary director until the assessment of the applications. Zsolt Horváth took part at competition; from February 1, 2003 and after the reelection of him in 2011, he has been the director of the director of the Pannon Philharmonic. During his work as the director, Zsolt Horváth has got two honors (the Pécs City Hall Medal in 2009 and the Ministerial Merit Certificate in 2010, on the Hungarian Culture Day).