True to our traditions, the rich program of the Budapest Summer Festival will include an appearance by the National Philharmonic Orchestra on Margaret Island this year as well, naturally showcasing a new, grand and soul-stirring, concert. One of our country’s most distinguished symphonic ensembles, it guarantees the highest quality in classical music. In the first portion of their special June concert, we can enjoy the sparkling harmonies in Karl Goldmark’s Rustic Wedding Symphony, actually the composer’s first symphonic work. In the second portion, we will hear the timeless melodies and rich themes of Mussorgsky’s best-known piano cycle, Pictures at an Exhibition, in the grand orchestra adaptation by Maurice Ravel which has conquered the entire world. Featuring the National Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor: Zsolt Hamar Nicola Benedetti and the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra One of the most sought-after violin soloists of her generation for the first time in Hungary! Born in Scotland with Italian descent, Nicola Benedetti is one of our time’s most influential classical music artists, often appearing at the world’s leading concert halls and festivals such as Cadogan Hall in London, Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Symphony Hall in Birmingham, or the Edinburgh Festival. Great orchestras and conductors around the world seek out this soloist, who recently gave concerts with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. She arrives in Budapest with one of the world’s best youth orchestras, the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra (SFSYO). Nicola Benedetti is a committed ambassador for music education, as well as a passionate leader. She has made it her goal to support opportunities for the development of young people’s musical skills by cooperating with various national and regional organizations. She initiated the financially supported Benedetti Sessions, giving hundreds of youths the opportunity to take part in master classes. In concerts, Nicola Benedetti plays a Gabriel Stradivarius instrument from 1717, which she received from philanthropist Jonathan Moulds. On Margaret Island, we will hear songs from one of music literature’s most popular and difficult violin concertos, P. I. Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto in D-major. Credit: Budapesti Nyári Fesztivál (Budapest Summer Festival)