Founded in 1998, the Budapest Jazz Orchestra is Hungary’s first professional, continuously operating big band. Over the course of its dynamic development, the ensemble has grown into a globally recognized representative of both contemporary music and jazz. In 2024, marking its 25th anniversary, the orchestra was nominated for the prestigious Kossuth Prize by two professional organizations.

In addition to performing contemporary jazz and big band music, the mission of the Budapest Jazz Orchestra is to nurture the genre’s roots and make its values accessible to the wider public. The orchestra is committed to passing on its professional experience to the next generation of musicians. It aims to interpret improvisational and contemporary genres, represent Hungarian musical culture both nationally and internationally, and advocate for Hungarian artistic values at the highest level.

The orchestra’s productions trace the evolution of jazz, starting from the traditional big band style of the 1920s all the way to contemporary jazz. In recent years, the Budapest Jazz Orchestra has shared the stage with renowned American jazz artists such as George Duke, Joe Lovano, Peter Erskine, Jane Monheit, and Ken Peplowski.

In terms of world premieres, the orchestra’s concerts aim to present works and arrangements by its own members and other contemporary composers, including Dániel Hofecker, Dániel Mester, Kálmán Oláh, Béla Szakcsi Lakatos, Zoltán Zakar, Viktor Hárs, Károly Binder, and György Vukán. The ensemble also performs pop and crossover programs featuring iconic Hungarian artists such as Levente Szörényi, Charlie Horváth, Vera Tóth, Kati Wolf, Bálint Gájer, Orsi Urbán, and Adrienn Fehér.

The musicians of the Budapest Jazz Orchestra are not only accomplished jazz performers but many are also recipients of prestigious Hungarian music awards, such as the eMeRTon and Artisjus Prizes.

The Budapest Jazz Orchestra is a regular participant in both domestic and international jazz festivals. It is the only Hungarian big band to have been invited to the most prestigious international festivals and is a frequent performer at major Hungarian arts festivals.

Over the course of its career, the BJO has collaborated with numerous internationally acclaimed artists—an achievement that has earned it global recognition and established its reputation as an internationally respected big band.