Academy of Music Reborn 6 November 2008
A new chapter unfolds in the history of the Academy of Music on the 197th anniversary of Franz Liszt’s birth: the signing of the priority assistance contract at a ceremony attended by Mr István Hiller, Minister of Education and Culture, Dr András Batta, Rector of the Franz Liszt University of Music and Mr Balázs Mosonyi, Director of the Managing Authority for Regional Development Programmes at NDA signed the opening document.
The signing of the assistance contract of the priority project called "Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music" - the renewed centre of European higher education music education in Budapest” took place on 22 October 2008, on the 197th anniversary of Franz Liszt’s birth, at the symbolic venue of the Academy of Music Concert Hall. In accordance with this agreement, the long-due reconstruction of the infrastructure of the Academy of Music can now get underway with the help of EU funding of 10 billion HUF and over 1 billion HUF of own resources.
Path to the assistance contract
The Government approved the project proposal submitted for the renewal of the Academy of Music over one year ago in July 2007. Following this, detailed technical and financial feasibility studies were compiled in the following; planners were selected and the documents required for obtaining building permits were also submitted. After obtaining these permits, the transferral in July this year of funding of 370 million HUF in July this year earmarked for launching the reconstruction preparation phase made it possible to undertake the full-scope preparation of the project. The Academy of Music submitted the detailed project proposal on 29 July 2008, which the assessment committee deemed worthwhile in September this year. The renewal of the Academy of Music will be carried out in two phases: the reconstruction and modernisation of the auxiliary building located at Wesselényi Street 52 will be completed in the first phase up to autumn 2009, whilst the renewal of the Academy of Music on Ferenc Liszt Square will be carried out following this.
Wesselényi Street 52 – Incorporation and transformation of the new building
The reconstruction and modernisation of the auxiliary building located at Wesselényi Street 52 will be completed in the first phase, which makes it possible to vacate the main building on Liszt Ferenc Square; in addition, by incorporating the new building it will be possible to provide functions that are currently missing in the main building and establish conditions underpinning the implementation of full reconstruction.
In accordance with the decision of the board of the Academy of Music, university administration units currently operating in buildings located at various spots around the city will move into the new building; moreover, it will also be possible to stimulate the life of faculties and extend the scope of services provided for students in the new Wesselényi Street building. In order to achieve this, setting up an appropriate background supporting the student council, work undertaken independently by students, community life (creating meeting points, assembly halls) and other services (e.g. hot spots, canteen) is about to begin. Classrooms expected to be closed as a result of the reconstruction of the main building will be re-opened in the new building on Wesselényi Street.
Main building: offering the highest standard education and concert life by preserving old values
The objective of the reconstruction of the main building located on Ferenc Liszt Square is for the values of the outstanding historic building undergoing renewal to ensure the highest standard education and concert life as well as preserving the rightly admired and familiar ambiance of the Academy of Music. This is why the currently missing infrastructure of concert life will be constructed during the course of the investment, which among others, implies setting up stage technology, building storage rooms for instruments, as well as an appropriate number and quality of dressing-rooms and ensuring a modern studio technology background. In addition, the renewal of the small concert hall of the Academy of Music envisaged to be used for opera teaching and chamber opera performances will also take place.
Spaces reserved for the audience will be extended as a part of the renewal work and European standard handicap access will also be ensured to the buildings. The full replacement and extension of the mechanical and electrical systems has also become necessary. According to plans, it will be possible to launch the renewal of the main building of the Academy of Music in autumn 2009, which work is expected to be completed by autumn 2011.
Renewal in the domain of education and concert life
The project aimed at renewing the Academy of Music does not simply cover the renewal of the main building and the building on Wesselényi Street, since major changes will also be taking place in the domain of education and concert life up to 2011. Beyond the development of music teaching, talent fostering, development of the ensemble culture and the development of Alma Mater concert life, renewal efforts equally extend to include the development of foreign language training, the strategy of the Music Academy on the international stage, as well as implementing equal opportunity. Consequently, not only the infrastructure of the eminent centre of Hungarian music life will be implemented by 2011: as an impact of the state-of-the-art technological development, an increasing number of outstanding talented students will choose the Ferenc Liszt Square building as their Alma Mater; consequently, the Academy of Music may, in the future, evolve into a European music pilgrimage site.
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