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Budapest Festival Orchestra © Marco Borggreve i
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The Budapest Festival Orchestra Joins Our Network!
Organisational Members
FEDORA is delighted to welcome the Budapest Festival Orchestra as a new member of the FEDORA Network.
Founded in 1983 by Iván Fischer and Zoltán Kocsis, the Budapest Festival Orchestra has grown into one of the world’s leading symphony orchestras thanks to its innovative artistic vision, exceptional musicianship, and commitment to reaching diverse audiences. Under the leadership of Iván Fischer as Music Director, and Managing Director Orsolya Erdődy, the Budapest Festival Orchestra continues to redefine what an orchestra can be in the 21st century.
Today, the Budapest Festival Orchestra is the youngest ensemble to rank among the world’s top ten symphony orchestras, performing regularly in major international venues and on global streaming platforms.
Beyond acclaimed recordings and international tours, the Budapest Festival Orchestra stands out for its groundbreaking concert formats that place accessibility, creativity and community at the heart of its mission. These include:
Autism-friendly Cocoa Concerts
Surprise Concerts, including appearances at the Proms in London
Midnight Music performances for young adults
Open-air events in Budapest
Community Weeks, offering free concerts across Hungary
A unique hallmark of the orchestra is its flexibility: its musicians often form a choir, reinforcing the ensemble’s versatility and spirit of collective artistry.
Opera-making is also central to the orchestra’s identity. Each year, in collaboration with the Ivan Fischer Opera Company, Müpa Budapest, and the Vicenza Opera Festival, the Budapest Festival Orchestra presents an opera production that has toured prestigious stages such as the Mostly Mozart Festival (New York), Spoleto Festival dei Due Mondi, the Edinburgh International Festival, Baden-Baden Winterfestspiele, and the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg.
In 2024, the orchestra joined forces with Iván Fischer and the European Union Youth Orchestra to launch the European Orchestra Academy, an initiative dedicated to excellence in chamber music, orchestral training and community engagement.
With its bold artistic identity and visionary approach to cultural participation, the Budapest Festival Orchestra embodies the spirit of innovation and inclusivity that drives the FEDORA Network.
© Akos Stiller i
Budapest Festival Orchestra
Iván Fischer made his own dream come true when he founded the Budapest Festival Orchestra in 1983 together with Zoltán Kocsis.Thanks to its innovative approach to music and the uncompromising dedication of its musicians, the BFO has become the youngest ensemble to join the world’s top ten symphony orchestras.
Thanks to its innovative approach to music and the uncompromising dedication of its musicians, the BFO has become the youngest ensemble to join the world’s top ten symphony orchestras.
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