The choir was founded in 1945 in P\u00e9cs, from members of the choirs of P\u00e9cs, which had been closed down due to the war. At that time they were led by the choirmaster Mrs J\u00f3zsefn\u00e9 S\u00f3lyom until 1957.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The choir was supported by the Trade Union Committee of the P\u00e9cs Transport Company. The members were mainly employees of the company (tram drivers, conductors, carriage drivers). The choir initiated and started the National Choir Meeting of the KSZDSZ, which was held every year in a different city. Under their second choirmaster Andor Ligeti, they had also made it to the International Debrecen Choir Meeting. During this period, the choir was able to travel abroad through sister choir contacts, first to Osijek, then to Lahti and later to Leipzig. Under the leadership of Istv\u00e1n Hegyi, Val\u00e9r Jobb\u00e1gy and later J\u00f3zsef Hergenr\u0151der, the choir achieved good results at national qualifying competitions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dr. Tam\u00e1s Lakner, Liszt Prize-winning conductor, took over the leadership of the choir from his predecessors in 1980. The youthful impetus set a new direction for the choir, with performances of new modern works, trips abroad and competitions. After the fall of the Soviet Union, new opportunities opened up for the choir, which brought a series of international and national awards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They have participated in numerous concerts, competitions and concert tours abroad, including the United States and Canada (1998, 2010), Spain (1999, 2009), England (2003, 2012), South America (Uruguay, Brazil, Argentina, 2004, 2018), Turkey (2013), China (2014, 2016, 2019), and many others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In addition to 32 prizes won at international choir competitions, their greatest successes were in 2006 in China and in 2008 in Graz, Austria, at the 4th and 5th Choir Olympics, where they became Olympic champions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Also in 2006, they won the Grand Prix of the 4th Kod\u00e1ly Zolt\u00e1n Hungarian Choir Competition. On 22 January 2007, they received the Csokonai Prize on the Day of Hungarian Culture. They often sing oratorios with the Pannon Philharmonic Orchestra.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The choir has made numerous recordings (cassettes and CDs), the crowning achievement of which is the CD of Kod\u00e1ly’s works for men’s choir released by Hungaroton in 2005, and a special double CD version of the choir’s works was released in 2010. Hungaroton also produced a unique release in 2011 of a complete edition of Ferenc Erkel’s male choir works, which was nominated for an international recording award (ICMA) in the choral category.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The choir has been the main organiser and implementer of the unique and highly successful European and World Wine Song Festivals, which have been held every year since 1993 at the end of September.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Bart\u00f3k B\u00e9la Men’s Choir celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
AWARDS, PRIZES AND RECOGNITION<\/p>\n\n\n