Vallis musicalis - a valley filled with music in the heart of the Bakony
In the valley of Bakonybél, inhabited by people for millennia, visitors are greeted by a unique spirit of the place. Embraced by the hills, this special convergence of nature and spirituality offers opportunities that cannot be found in the 'centre'" The founders of Saint Maurice's Monastery, Saint Günter and Gerhard, came from the atmosphere of western monasteries and royal courts of aristocratic families in contemporary Christian Europe to establish a praying and creative community in the hermitage, shaped for centuries by the uniquely local character of monastic culture. Today, a network built on personal acquaintances has developed around the monastery, transforming it into a cultural micro-center in symbiosis with the musical culture of the monastic tradition.
The project named in the EKF music strategy, which is organically integrated into the foundation's other musical plans, presented Hungarian and universal early music compositions in connection with festive occasions and the monastery's highlighted events, showcasing their universal cultural embedding. Programs were organized around Pentecost, the Monastery's Open Day, the Feast of Saint Stephen, and the Gellért Festival. Concerts were complemented by educational presentations aimed at the audience or music workshops for members of singing communities. The programs were centered around the most important works and composers related to the respective festive occasions. We developed and organized a complex system of programs with a regional scope—concerts, instrument demonstrations, and educational elements: music workshops and master classes—focusing on church music values, encounters with hosts, and community creations. By 2023, a network connecting choirs and singers of early music and church music had been established in the EKF region, strengthening regional artistic collaborations. Our innovative educational programs and new toolkit supported the development of singing communities. Special attention was given to bridging classical and contemporary culture, presenting church music works in novel ways, allowing creators to present improvisations and new works, while providing the audience with the opportunity to explore unconventional creations. This led to the world premiere of works by young contemporary composer Barnabás Bánó from Balatonfüred.
Concerts: Domestic and foreign church music choirs and musicians, including: Gemma Vocal Ensemble, Orlando Vocal Ensemble, Chamber Orchestra of the Saint Gellért Festival, Odhecaton Ensemble (Italy), Ensemble Organum (France).
Educational Programs: Bakonybél Choir Academy: workshops for church music singers from Veszprém County and the EKF region: conductor Paolo Da Col (Italy), conductor Marcel Pérès (France). Informative, introductory presentations, and discussions with performing artists.
Creative Workshops: Creating church music concerts with international and domestic singers and musicians from Veszprém County and the EKF region. Handel: Messiah: Budapest Bach Consort, Munich Bach Chamber Choir, Orlando Vocal Ensemble, conducted by Felix Mayer from Munich.
Meeting of Classical and Contemporary Church Music: Gellért Festival in Bakonybél: World premiere of works by Dukay Barnabás and Bánó Tamás Barnabás: Saint Maurice Choir, Ausculta Vocal Ensemble, Orlando Vocal Ensemble, and singers from church music choirs in the EKF region. Our professional concept is also interesting for the general public. We created and offered artistic productions in an authentic environment that possess serious tourism appeal. Our program reached multiple target groups, allowing both creative communities and the receptive audience to draw knowledge and experiences from the diverse events and workshops. The concerts and workshops were free, and the concerts were streamed live on the Monastery's YouTube channel. The concert by Ensemble Organum and the Odhecaton Ensemble was recorded and later broadcast by Bartók Radio.
