Georg Solti - Conductor and Founder

Born 1912, Georg Solti studied piano and composition with Kodaly and Bartók in Budapest. He went on to become one of the most influential conductors of the 20th century, holding posts with many of the world's most renowned orchestras, and leaving an extensive discography that remains a benchmark of excellence.

Solti conceived the notion of the World Orchestra for Peace near the end of his life. He formulated the idea at a concert held in honour of his 80th birthday at Buckingham Palace, and made it a reality in Geneva three years later. His own experiences as a young man living through the Second World War led him to believe that musicians could show the way for politicians when it came to international co-operation. The first concert was triumphant proof of this vision. Sadly, he died in 1997 before being able to conduct the orchestra's second concert in Baden-Baden.