GYPO Violinist Ágnes Kisházy awarded on the Day of Hungarian Culture
The Day of Hungarian Culture is celebrated every year on January 22 when poet Ferenc Kölcsey had signed his name under his poem in 1823 on which the Hungarian national anthem is based. Since 1989 on this notable day the local government of Győr traditionally recognizes some of those contributing to the city's cultural life. In the assembly room of the City Hall mayor Bence Péter cordially greeted the invited guest to be awarded this year. Much to our delight, violinist of the Győr Philharmonic Orchestra, Ágnes Kisházy was selected this year to receive an award for her decades-long cultural contributions. 
Győr-born Mrs. Kisházy's first choice of instrument was the piano yet she gradually gravitated toward the violin as her main choice. Her teacher at the legendary Győr Conservatory of Music was András Csontha followed by ex-concert master of the Győr Phil, Csaba Pothof, at college level who invited her to play in the orchestra after her studies. Mrs. Kisházy gladly accepted the offer and has been a member ever since.
"Fitting in was not easy initially. Newcomers had to sit at the back of the section while picking up experience. Luckily that has changed over time and by now the orchestra is indeed like a big family in which different generations stick together for better or worse" - says the awarded Mrs. Kisházy who had been a loyal, and committed artist of GYPO for 41 years.
"I'll never forget my first concert! We played the beautiful 4th symphony by Johannes Brahms in Mosonmagyaróvár. Later we also performed the German Requiem by the same composer with conductor Tamás Ungár shortly after my father had died. I could hardly see the music from my tears while playing" - she recalls.
Ágnes is exceptionally grateful for her first few years as a violinist and especially for the 1987 European tour in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria, as back in those years it felt like a dream coming true. During the tour she even talked the bus driver into making a detour to the nearby famous St. Mary's shrine in Lourdes, France!
Mrs. Kisházy has become a real team player over the decades participating in many memorable performances under the baton of Tamás Sulyok, Tamás Koncz, János Sándor, Ádám Medveczky, just to name a few. Her most cherished memories are her introduction as a singer in the Four Fathers formation, and two performances of Béla Bartók's Concerto with Martin Rajna.
Heartfelt congratulations from all the staff members of GYPO!