Last weekend the talented young violinist Zoltán Bácsy Schwarz and pianist Éva Szalai held two beautiful concerts filled with Hungarian references, including the Hungarian Dance no. 5 by Johannes Brahms, the Faust-waltz by Franz Liszt and a piece from Háry János by Kodály, in the province of Limburg.
Born in Maastricht to a Hungarian mother and American father, both violinists in the Limburg Symphony Orchestra, Zoltán is a big promise for the classical music scene. After winning the Hungarian classical music reality competition television program Virtuosos and now studying at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest Zoltán was back in town for the concerts. Éva Szalai (born in Budapest, Hungary) has established herself as a successful pianist with many concerts, amongst which in the US and for the Dutch King Willem-Alexander.
Saturday 18 May venue of the night was the Cellebroederskapel in Zoltán’s former hometown Maastricht. Sunday afternoon 19 May the two musicians and audience were welcomed by the Hungarian Ambassador in the Netherlands András Kocsis, Mayor of Roerdalen Monique de Boer-Beerta, Councilor of the Municipality Jan Smits and the Embassy’s Honorary Consul Alfred Evers at the idyllic location Kasteel Aerwinkel in Posterholt.
The concerts were organized by the programmer of Kasteel Aerwinkel Agnes van Dijk-Lengyel, Hungarian herself, who was happy to bring such Hungarian calibre of talent to Roerdalen. The concerts were supported by the Hungarian Embassy in The Hague.
Several guests from the business sector were also present on Sunday to discuss and showcase business and trade in Roerdalen. Laurens Bijl, Happiness Coordinator, shared his vision on creating a happier community, one of the main objectives of the municipality.
Photos ©Ruud Snijders
