The Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra took the name of the great composer, to pay homage to the genious who became inseparable with the establishment of Hungarian music and whose spirit irradiates the musical life of the entire world. After having studied for years at the Franz Liszt Academy in Budapest, the Orchestra made his debut in 1963 and since than plays a very significant role in Hungary's musical life.

Its repertory spans almost the entire history of music from Monteverdi, Bach, Vivaldi, Mozart to the Romantics and to the 20th Century composers. The Orchestra has recorded more than 200 discs for the Hungarian HUNGAROTON and for various prestigious companies such as: CBS, TELDEC, EMI, ERATO, DENON and SONY CLASSICAL. The Orchestra was awarded the Grand Prix of the French Academie du Disque in Paris on three different occasions and has the "Record of the Year" award in Hungary many times.

The Orchestra regularly tours almost in every European countries, in the USA, South America, Far East, Australia, and so on, and performs at well known Festivals such as of Ascona, Besancon, Edinbourgh, Bath, Flanders, Helsinki, Luzern, Gstaad, Montreaux, Prades and Santander.

On its concerts and recordings, the Orchestra featured such world-famous soloists as: S. Richter, Sir Y. Menuhin, A. Fischer, J. P. Rampal, Isaac Stern, H. Szeryng, M. André, M. Argerich, I. Oistrakh, M. Perényi, M. Rostropovich, A. Schiff, Z. Kocsis, D. Ránki, T. Vasary, P. Frankl, G. Pauk, S. Mintz, V. Repin, Midori, J. Starker, R. Raimondi, E. Gruberova.

The Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra consists of 17 strings and according to the programmes a harpsichord soloist completes the Ensemble, as well as wind and other instrumentalists.

Janos Rolla

Leader and founding member of the Orchestra and one of Hungary's foremost violinist has been the leader since the foundation in 1963.

He has acquired fame in the world's concert halls, primarily as chamber musicianbut also as soloist. In appreciation for his work in spreading Hungarian musical culture at home and abroad, he was awarded the 'Kossuth Prize', the most significant distinction given by the Government, in 1985.

In 1992 Maestro Rolla received the "Chevalier de la Culture" equivalent to the French "Legion of Honour".