The orchestras of the Csányi Foundation held rehearsals in Budapest again this past weekend. As usual, the group gathered at S10 in the morning hours, and after a brief briefing, everyone began their work at their designated locations. The Chamber Orchestra practiced in a room at the Bartók Béla Secondary School of Music, while members of The Band worked in the cozy, specially equipped basement of S10. The Chamber Orchestra is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, so they are preparing a special program featuring a selection of pieces that haven’t been performed in a long time.
“On Saturday and Sunday, the Foundation’s Chamber Orchestra held its rehearsal ahead of the Life Path Festival. It is a great joy for us to have been playing music together for 10 years now, so we are preparing a colorful repertoire for the Life Path Festival consisting of our favorite works from the past years. We trust that the audience will enjoy these compositions just as much as we do!” -Zsombor Barkóczy, Pécs Group 2, student at BME Faculty of Transportation Engineering and Vehicle Engineering
To unwind after the rehearsals, several members attended the Hungary-Slovenia football match on Saturday. The children eagerly awaited the event, as many had never been to a match of this caliber before. Of course, there were some returning fans among them as well.
“This wasn’t the first time I’ve had the chance to cheer at the Puskás Aréna, but it’s still goosebump-inducing to experience the matches live and sing ‘Nélküled’ together alongside the National Anthem. You can never get used to these moments; it’s a new experience every time. Unfortunately, due to a sector closure, the ‘B-közép’ (the hardcore fan section) couldn’t be in their usual place, but even that didn’t stop them from creating a great atmosphere.
Luckily, we escaped a goal in the first half due to an offside call, and the play overall wasn’t outstanding. However, we hoped for a change in the second half, which is exactly what happened. Although we dominated the Slovenians, and despite many substitutions—as it was a friendly match—our team wasn’t slowed down. Roland Sallai made the fans jump up to celebrate a goal several times, but either the goalkeeper saved it or he missed the target. Then the ice was broken in the 79th minute: with Szabolcs Schön’s goal, we won the match 1-0, celebrating a Hungarian goal together for the first time since November. The Hungarian national team managed to win, and starting a new era like this is always good, especially since there were many key players missing. From the stands, we felt what has fortunately been palpable for a few years now: no matter what, the fans stick by the team, even through the harder periods.”
-Benjámin Palotai, Mohács 1, MA student in Communication and Media Studies at PPKE
On Sunday, the two orchestras rehearsed together in preparation for their joint productions. Afterward, they attended a performance of Bach’s St John Passion, which featured Adriána Kalafszky, the leader of the Foundation’s Chamber Orchestra, as a soloist. The event took place at the University Church.
“The performance was excellent, the orchestra sounded wonderful; I don’t think I’ve ever experienced such a pure musical sound before—it was as if I were listening to a CD recording. The beauty of the church added even more to the acoustic experience, and with Easter approaching, it was a great opportunity for a bit of cultural enrichment.”-Maja Sik, graduate of Communication and Media Studies at PTE diákja
More photos are available in the Gallery!