Budapest’s Liszt Academy of Music throws open its doors in 2026 with a year packed with heavyweight performers, ambitious series, and fresh faces. Ranked among the world’s top 50 performing arts universities, the Academy’s legendary Grand Hall and the jewel-box Solti Chamber Hall offer a uniquely intimate Secessionist backdrop for everything from orchestral blockbusters to cutting-edge chamber music. Online tickets are available for all dates, and the program stretches comfortably across the season with no let-up in quality or momentum.
February lifts off with virtuosity
February 23, 7:30 pm: the Grand Hall welcomes Masanori Sugano, Balázs Fülei, and the Budapest Strings (Budapesti Vonósok). A day later, February 24, 7:00 pm: Virtuosos and Masters (Virtuózok és Mesterek) fills the Grand Hall with mentor–protégé fireworks. The Academy marks Kurtág 100 with two tributes: February 25, 7:30 pm, Kikuchi – Hakii – Madaras lead the Hungarian Radio Symphony Orchestra (Magyar Rádió Szimfonikus Zenekara) in the Grand Hall; February 28, 7:30 pm brings Banse – Husmann – Keller – Groot to the Solti Hall for an intimate salute.
March: orchestral shine, chamber heat
March opens with the Chamber Music Department’s series: Entreaty – Contrasts (Kérlelés – Kontrasztok), March 3, 6:00 pm, Solti Hall. On March 5, 7:00 pm, Space for Sounds: Beethoven (Teret a hangoknak: Beethoven) claims Solti Hall, followed March 6, 7:00 pm by New Fossils in Jazz Here! (Jazz itt!). March 7, 7:30 pm celebrates Binder 70. Hollywood! arrives March 9, 7:30 pm, when the Danubia Orchestra (Danubia Zenekar) rolls out the silver-screen sound in the Grand Hall. A marquee night lands March 10, 7:30 pm: Endre Hegedűs’s orchestral piano recital with the Budafok Dohnányi Orchestra (Budafoki Dohnányi Zenekar), conducted by Gábor Werner, in the Grand Hall.
March 13, 7:00 pm: Terembura Group: Here and Now (Itt és most) (Solti). March 17, 7:30 pm: chamber titans András Keller, Miklós Perényi, and Mihály Berecz take over the Grand Hall. March 18 doubles up: 7:00 pm, Szilvia Bognár and Klára Csernók’s We Build from Sound, Word, Heritage – Acoustic, Authentic (Megépítjük hangból, szóból, örökségből – Akusztikus, autentikus) (Solti); and 7:30 pm, János Czifra leads the Liszt Academy Symphony Orchestra (Zeneakadémia Szimfonikus Zenekara) and Alma Mater Choir (Alma Mater Kórusa) in The Ensembles of the Liszt Academy (A Zeneakadémia Együttesei) (Grand Hall). March 19, 7:00 pm: Bach and Handel (Bach és Handel) brings Baroque glow (Solti), while March 20, 7:00 pm, In Tune with Each Other – Conservatory Concerts (Egymásra hangolva – Konzis koncertek) (Solti) spotlights rising talent.
March 21, 7:30 pm: Dénes Várjon headlines Legendary Concerts 2025/26 (Legendás koncertek 2025/26) (Grand Hall). March 22, 7:30 pm: Russian color pours in with Kabalevsky/Rimsky-Korsakov at the Russian Music Festival – Portraits (Portrék) (Grand Hall). String quartets take focus: March 25, 7:00 pm, Korossy Quartet (Korossy Kvartett) plays Bartók Quartets/1 – 4×4 (Solti); March 27, 7:00 pm, Chaos String Quartet continues 4×4 (Solti). March 26, 7:00 pm, PORTRAITS OZF 2026 (PORTRÉK OZF 2026) (Solti György Chamber Hall) expands the festival frame. Orchestral contrasts land March 28, 7:30 pm, with Bach/Britten/Janáček/Prokofiev by the Danubia Orchestra (Grand Hall). For families, March 29 offers Liszt Academy for Kids (Liszt-kukacok Akadémiája) at 11:00 am: The Waltzing Princess – Symphony? Fantastic! (Keringőző hercegnő – Szimfónia? Fantasztikus!) for ages 10–15 (Grand Hall), plus 4:00 pm, Ars Septem’s Tales from the Nursery (Mesék a gyerekszobából) (Solti). March rounds out March 31, 7:30 pm, with Misi Boros celebrating Johann Sebastian Bach’s birthday (Grand Hall).
April drives the depth
April 7, 6:00 pm: Message – Contrasts (Üzenet – Kontrasztok) (Solti). April 9, 7:00 pm: Spanish–Hungarian Rhapsody, a dual-piano night with Jesús María Gómez and Balázs Fülei (Solti). April 11, 7:00 pm: Chaos String Quartet returns (Solti). April 15, 7:00 pm: Dávid Báll and András Kemenes bring Chamber Music Within Arm’s Reach (Kamarazene karnyújtásnyira) (Solti). April 16, 7:30 pm: Gergely Ménesi conducts the Liszt Academy Symphony Orchestra (Grand Hall). April 17, 7:00 pm: Dóra Kokas and Izabella Simon (Solti). April 18, 7:00 pm: Dittersdorf’s Il finto pazzo per amore (Solti). April 19 layers three events: 11:00 am, Meeting of Worlds – Understandable Music 2025–26/4 (Világok találkozása – Megérthető zene 2025–26/4) with the Budafok Dohnányi Orchestra; 4:00 pm, Éva Kóbor, Nella Balog, and Sebestyén Pellet (Solti); 7:30 pm, GRANDIOSO 2025/26. 4./IV. (Grand Hall). April 21, 7:00 pm: Ask the Composer! (Kérdezd a zeneszerzőt!) (Solti). April 22, 7:00 pm: World Percussion Group – Here and Now (Itt és most) (Solti). April 23 splits: 7:00 pm, Quartet Integra in 4×4 (Solti); 7:30 pm, League of Legends – The Piano Duel (Legendák Ligája – A zongorapárbaj) with the Danubia Orchestra (Grand Hall). April 24, 7:30 pm: János Balázs continues Legendary Concerts (Grand Hall). April 25, 7:00 pm: Júlia Karosi and Ensemble – Monteverdi – Past & Present for Jazz Here! (Jazz itt!) (Solti). April 26 offers 11:00 am Liszt Academy for Kids: The Grazing Shepherd – Symphony? Fantastic! (Legeltető juhász – Szimfónia? Fantasztikus!) (Grand Hall), and 7:00 pm Cavalli, Krieger, Legrenzi, Rosenmüller (Solti). April 28, 7:00 pm: László Sándor Offertorium Musicum – Here and Now (Itt és most) (Solti). April 29, 7:30 pm: the Academy’s Concert Wind Orchestra (Grand Hall). April 30, 7:30 pm: János Mátyás Stark, Gergely Devich, and Fülöp Ránki deliver Chamber Music for the Grand Hall (Kamarazene Nagyteremre) (Grand Hall).
May to June: big stages, bold ideas
May 5, 6:00 pm: Touch – Chamber Music Department (Érintés – Kamarazene Tanszék) (Solti). May 6, 7:00 pm: The Temperament of the “Trout” Quintet (A Pisztrángötös temperamentuma) with Balázs Fülei’s guided discovery (Solti). May 9, 7:30 pm: Day of the Dance House – Acoustic, Authentic (A táncház napja – Akusztikus, autentikus) (Grand Hall). May 10, 11:00 am: Understandable Music 2025–26/5 – The Father of Film Music (A filmzene atyja) with the Budafok Dohnányi Orchestra. May 12, 7:00 pm: Tamás Szarka’s DLA conducting final concert (Grand Hall). May 13, 7:00 pm: Birthday Chamber Music for György Kurtág – Here and Now (Születésnapi kamarazene Kurtág Györgynek – Itt és most) (Solti). May 16, 7:30 pm: Dóra Pétery and Trio Passacaglia: Of the Celestial and the Terrestrial – Organ front and center (Égiekről, földiekről) (Grand Hall). May 17, 7:00 pm: Korossy Quartet continues Bartók Quartets/2 in 4×4 (Solti). May 20, 7:30 pm: Dohnányi Series 2025–26/5 – What Are the Hungarians Like? (Milyenek a magyarok?) with the Budafok Dohnányi Orchestra. May 21, 7:30 pm: Wagner/Bernstein/Borodin by the Danubia Orchestra (Grand Hall). May 25, 7:30 pm: Cziffra Festival hosts Leonidas Kavakos – Enrico Pace in duet (Grand Hall). May 31, 11:00 am: Sunday Witch – Liszt Academy for Kids (Vasárnapi Boszorka – Liszt-Kukacok Akadémiája) (Grand Hall).
June 1, 7:30 pm: Lucas & Arthur Jussen unleash the Piano Percussion Project (Grand Hall). June 3, 7:00 pm: Timeless Melodies, Eternal Masters (Időtlen dallamok, örök mesterek) (Grand Hall). June 16, 7:30 pm: Masters at Work: Baráti, Guzzo, Várdai, Magyar, Simon, Várjon – Chamber Music for the Grand Hall (Kamarazene Nagyteremre) (Grand Hall). June 17, 7:30 pm: Tutti – Conservatory Concerts (Konzis koncertek) (Grand Hall).
Autumn finales and holiday glow
October 8, 7:00 pm: Brahms on Graph Paper? (Brahms négyzetrácsos papíron?) – Balázs Fülei’s musical exploration (Solti). November 11, 7:00 pm: Colors on the Palette: Poulenc, Debussy, Saint-Saëns (Színek a palettán) (Solti). November 22 doubles: 11:00 am, Tamás Érdi’s piano recital (Grand Hall); 7:30 pm, Festive Concert with Lilla Horti (voice), Andrea Vigh (harp), Barnabás Kelemen (violin), and Gergely Bogányi (piano) (Grand Hall). December 20, 7:30 pm: a Christmas Concert brings Andrea Vigh and friends to close the year in shimmering style (Grand Hall).
