Mendelssohn Chamber Orchestra

Having recorded their first CD (Label: HUNGAROTON) they decided to change the orchestra's name to 'Mendelssohn' as they were impressed by the young Mendelssohn's string music. Since then they have been playing his symphonies and concertos, and other works as often as possible. The chamber orchestra is led by their artistic leader and violin soloist – Péter Kováts. The Mendelssohn Chamber Orchestra has been working with the finest soloists from Hungary and abroad. They have played with world-famous Hungarian pianists and conductors: Tamás Vásáry, Zoltán Kocsis, Balázs Fülei. Among their soloists have been Mischa Maisky, Glenn Dicterow, Miklós Perényi, the outstanding Hungarian violinists: Kristóf Baráti, Barnabás Kelemen, István Ruha and Vilmos Szabadi, the soprano Andrea Rost, Ilona Tokody, Ingrid Kertesi, Dénes Gulyás, the violinistconductor Péter Csaba, etc. The MCO members often invite excellent jazz musicians and also they are often invited to play their compositions arranged for chamber orchestra together.
They have played with Bobby McFerrrin, Jacques Loussier and the Play Bach trio, Roby Lakatos, Mark O’Connor, Fred Hersch, Joe Muranyi, Aladár Pege, etc.
The MCO ensemble is often invited to various music and arts festivals in Hungary and abroad, e.g.: Haydn Festival in Esterháza (Hungary), Budapest Spring Festival (Hungary), Zelt Musik Festival (Freiburg, Germany), Valley of Arts (Hungary), Groblje Festival (Ljubljana, Slovenia), and the MCO is the resident orchestra of the prestigious Auer Violin Festival (Veszprém – the hometown of Leopold Auer). They have had many tours in Europe (Austria, Germany, Italy, Spain, France, Slovenia, England) and in America (USA, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Argentina, Uruguay). They have played in major concert halls of the world including Verdi Hall (Milan), Teatro Colon (Buenos Aires), St. John’s (London), St. Martin-inthe-Fields (London), Franz Liszt Academy of Music (Budapest), Hungarian State Opera (Budapest), etc. The Mendelssohn Chamber Orchestra gave the first Hungarian performances of several contemporary pieces, e.g.: The Seven Last Words by Sofia Gubaidulina, Requiem by John Rutter, The Four Seasons by Piazzolla, etc.

Their recordings are made by Hungarian Radio, Hungarian Television, French Television (France 3) and Slovenian Radio and Television. Their first CD was released on the Hungarian label Hungaroton, and after that they made several CD-s and DVD-s in Hungary, England and Slovenia. They are honoured with one of the most prestigious prize of Hungary: the Bartók–Pásztory Prize in 2010.