"Go heal the world!" - Bishop Dániel Pásztor opened the 1st Meeting of the Reformed Art Schools with a reference to the healing power of music. The event, which took place with the participation of groups from schools in Hungary, Russia and the highlands, offered art, community, and religious programs to the students and teachers of the participating schools. The patron of the meeting was Zoltán Balog, the pastor president of the Council of the Hungarian Reformed Church (MRE) and State Secretary for Culture Péter Hoppál.
- Hungarian music and art education has been determined by church schools for centuries, and this is still the case today, and our Reformed Church plays a significant role in this. We have a huge treasure through our art institutions. Until now, there was no forum for their teachers and students where they could learn about, listen to, and experience each other's professional and artistic work and achievements. That is why the Egressy Béni Reformed Music High School, the Reformed Public and Cultural Foundation (RKK) and the Church Music Board of the Hungarian Reformed Church (MRE) decided to organize a meeting for the art schools of our church with the intention of creating a tradition - stated the event's originator, Zalán László Kovács, the Director of Egressy.
November 18–20. The first occasion of the program realized between
Artistic activity cannot be self-serving, especially not for a Christian, since artistic self-expression is at the same time God's manifestation in the world.
Dániel Pásztor emphasized. "That's why you, artists, have a huge responsibility," stressed the vice president of the Synod. "Go heal the world!" - urged the students and teachers of the reformed art schools at the beginning of the three-day program. After the episcopal devotion, the audience could enjoy the concert of the Egressy brass band, and enjoy the experience of the extraordinary performance of the Liszt Prize-winning trumpet player and conductor Levente Bakó.
According to the common view of the organizers, the service of the Reformed-maintained institutions should be visibly present in the life of the church, so they asked the groups to gift our congregations with their musical service. The delegations gladly complied with the request and performed musical services at the Sunday services in Gyömrő, Budafok, Üllő, Halásztelek, Szigethalm, as well as in Budapest, in the outer-Józsefváros and Nagyvárad tér churches. The folk music students of the Karád art school also participated and performed at the latter service.
Kornél Papp, the general director of the hospitality institution, expressed his joy that the István Bocskai Reformed Education Center in Halásztelek could host the meaningful, demanding and useful meeting for the first time. The leaders of the organizing organizations, Gábor Zila, László Kovács Zalán and Tamás Bódiss, told our newspaper that the first event far exceeded preliminary expectations, and therefore the army review of our church's art schools, which has just begun, must be continued next year.
Source, full article and featured image: reformatus.hu
