New Music Workshop of Miskolc

The New Music Workshop of Miskolc was established in November 1976 by the composer György Semleczi. It was the second Hungarian contemporary music group after the foundation of the New Music Studio, and the first one in Hungary, which regularly played modern music. New Music Workshop founded because young musicians of Miskolc were dissatisfied with the mode of the official music institutes played the works of the composers of the 20th century. Their goal was to present modern music for the public with high standards. Their first concert played in autumn 1976. György Selmeczi was not only the intellectual leader of the workshop, but he also contributed as a conductor and pianist in the concerts.

Moreover, he made short lectures about the music pieces before the concerts. The musicians made approximately 12 concerts per year and presented pieces from 20–25 modern composers. The Hungaroton Records released the workshop’s introductory album in 1985 of Stravinsky, and some lesser-known composers (Webern, Maderna, and Varèse).

The New Music Workshop Miskolc became well known shortly, despite the misgivings of the official music institutes (this strict relationship kept until the Regime Change). Over the years, the workshop presented more than 300 musical works in Miskolc. The workshop regularly played works by Japanese (Fukushima, Shinohara), Polish (Krauze, Boguslawski), Romanian (Taranu, Cornel), American (Rzewski, Wolff, Crumb, Varèse), French (Messiaen, Jolivet), Greek (Xenakis) and Italian (Berio) masters. Works of the Hungarian composers were played the lead role in the concerts, the group played the music of László Borsódy, Attila Bozay, József Bujtás, László Dubrovay, György Kurtág, István Matuz, György Orbán, and András Szőllősy, among others. They also played the music made in the Electroacustical Studio of the Radio (for example the works of Máté Victor, Iván Székely, István Mártha), and the compositions created by the musicians of the New Music Studio (László Vidovszky, Zoltán Jeney, Barnabás Dukay, Gyula Csapó) too.

Source: Grabócz Márta: New Music Workshop Miskolc. In: Music [Muzsika], 1980. 10. sz. 18–20.; Turi Gábor: Music Workshops. In: Hajdú-Bihar Journal [Hajdú-Bihari Napló], 1985. szeptember 19., 5.; ’I’m interested in the whole life of music.’ A conversation with György Selmeczi, leader of the New Music Workshop Miskolc. An interview by László J. Győri. In: Critique [Kritika], 1988. 11. sz. 34–35.