Zuglo Filharmonics Budapest

In 1954 József Záborszky started to organize an orchestra in a secondary school in Budapest. Dániel Hamar matematician remembers: 'József Záborszky came into the classroom and asked if there were anybody who had studied to play any musical instrument. I said I had been playing the piano for 8 years. Then my fellow, you will be a contrabass player.' This way he founded a 16 strong orchestra which became professional orchestra known as the Zuglo Filharmonics Budapest.

Two years later these young orchestra was shown to the public at the Academy of Music with already 80 members. The quality increased year-by-year. Thanks to the quick development of the orchestra, soon a music school, and a conservatorie were attached. Today these schools give place to more than 1400 students. The professional ochestra and the schools cooperate very successfully.

Numerous world famous musicians have had regular guest appearances with our ensemble, such as János Ferencsik, Tamás Vásáry in earlier years, and Yuri Simonov, Kobayashi Ken-Ichiro, Zoltán Kocsis in latter years.

Once, when János Ferencsik conducted the Danish Royal Orchestra the ruler asked him: „Maestro, wich orchestra do you like to work with best? Ferencsik answered: „Well, Your Majesty! There is a young orchestra in Hungary they are my favourite.”

Since 1988 Kálmán Záborszky has been the principal conductor of Zuglo Philharmonics Budapest, and the director of the music school and conservatorie. He has trained generations to work with musicians with the help of a unique multi-level music workshop.

In 2005 Zuglo Philmonics Budapest became a professional orchestra under the leadership of Kálmán Záborszky. The maintainer is the local authority of Zugló, which finances the Orchestra, as much as possible.

In 2011 the orchestra was awarded the National Youth Orchestra for its valuable work. The special charm of the orchestra is that it consists of young, dedicated, highly qualified members, professional musicians. The orchestra is composed of approximately 100 permanent members and it is associated with the Oratorio Choir of about 120 members at its performances.

Due to Kálmán Záborszky's personality the Zuglo Philhamonics Budapest became a significant member of Hungarian classical music life. Permanent season tickets: Stephanus, Gaudeamus, Pastorale – address different generations. Kálmán Záborszky's mission is to train the youth to like classical music. So there are several performances for nursery and secondary school children, such as music based fairy-tales, complex programs.

Stephanus season ticket, is planned for sophisticated music lovers. The performances are in the Palace of Arts.

Gaudeamus season ticket address secondary school students on their own language, who we invite to the concert hall of the Academy of Music.

Pastorale season ticket, is a cultural series addressed to families, which involves other arts apart from music.

There is a unique initative for young children, which is a music based fable theatre performance showing Hungarian folklore stories, and traditional songs and dances.

Secondary students The Complex „Total-arts” program had a country-wide reputation, which address children from nursery to secondary school, concidering their age distinctiveness. The show includes music, dance, history, literature and movie.

Nursery and primary students