Pannon Philharmonic

The orchestra plays a contemporary composer, Levente Gyöngyösi’s Sinfonica concertante, which has  been written as a commission work for the Pannon Philharmonic and the Amadinda Percussions Group, composed expressly to the two ensembles playing together.

The 38-year-old Bartók-Pásztory Award-winner composer has been resident composer of the orchestra since 2012. His first commissioned work, the Ouvertura Sopianaensis, which is a sincerely expression towards Pécs, was premiered by the ensemble at the last season’s opening concert.  The professional collaboration of the orchestra and the composer has been even deeper since then – with another musical work. “Such a big trust of a symphony orchestra for a composer is a great honour, and really rear in Hungary” – said Levente Gyöngyösi about the premier. Indeed, there are few examples in this country that a musical institution employs a composer with concrete commissions – quasi as Maecenas. The Pannon Philharmonic considers as its mission that it supports the contemporary music. When not with commission of ne musical works, then with frequently playing them on its programme.
The recently finished Gyöngyösi work represents a hybrid style; it bears the characteristics of a concerto and a symphony, too. The concerto feature sounds from the virtuoso plays of the percussions instruments of the Amadinda: marimba, xylophone, vibraphone and chimes.
Every elements of the November 14 concert are about contemporary music. As an introduction to the  Sinfonia concertante, you can hear The Chinese Drummer by Fritz Kreisler, then traditional Chinese music; at the second half of the evening the Pannon Philharmonic is playinf Sravinsky1s The Rite of Spring, of which premiere was exactly 100 years prior to Gyöngyös work – but the two works have some connection.  The rhythm has an important role in the Rite of Spring, as well; Stravinsky evoked tense in his work with such rhythm-combination that were unknown for the music of that time. That’s why the scandalous 1913 premiere of The Rite of Spring is considered as the birth of contemporary music.
The orchestra performs the Sinfoncia concertante as the “opening chord” of its Budapest concert series at the Palace of Arts on 15 November, at 7pm, as well. 
Tickets for the concerts still can be purchased at the Kodály Centre box office or online at www.jegymester.hu.