Company History
owner, organ building master
„The organ links the present with the future…”
Organ building is a traditionally handcraft profession. We use traditional technical solutions for organ restorations and reconstructions and modern technology to dream and implement creative new organs. These two ways of organ building complete each other perfectly. We believe that our traditions are the connecting links between our past and our future. That is why it is important for us to save and carry on these values for the upcoming generations.
Attila Budavári, owner of the Pécs Organ Manufactory was only 12 years old when he started to show interest in organs and organ building and that is when he decided to become an organ builder. He inherited this kind of attachment from his family, as seven of his ancestors, among others his great-grandfather and great-great grandfather had been working on organ building in the Angster Organ Factory. This is the source of his early affinity.
After finishing organ building education he went abroad for a study tour to adapt the knowledge acquired in school in practice and to pick up professional experience by learning from Austrian and German masters.
When he returned home in 1992 he founded the predecessor of Pécs Organ Manufactory Ltd. as a private enterprise, where his brother, Csaba Budavári joined him after two years. While Attila mainly deals with planning, design and trading, Csaba manages functional operation. Their enthusiasm and motivation have always helped them to overcome initial financial difficulties.
Their first project was the building of Roman Catholic Church at Komló. After that the world famous Aquincum Water Organ was reconstructed for the Fire Brigade Museum in Budapest, which was followed by the building of the first new organ in Franciscan Secondary School in Szentendre.
This is how they arrived to the big breakthrough when they built one of Europe’s largest concert hall organs in the Palace of Arts in 2006. From this time there was no pause, they received more and more orders that made the company grow fast. The number of employees increased and the changing of workshop and expansion was necessary.
The continuous and intensive development is today already an integral part of Company philosophy that influences everyday operation. Currently the Pécs Organ Manufactory Ltd. is the largest organ builder company in Hungary and is among the largest also in Europe. With our employees’ skills and the professional experience acquired during the past quarter-century the Company covers the entire spectrum of the profession. Building new organs, restoring organs, structural rebuilding, repair, expansion, modernization are all parts of our portfolio.
During the last 25 years the manufactory took part in the building of around 130 organs in Hungary and also abroad. The most significant instruments in the life of the company were the following:
- 2008 Nagyvárad-Szöllős Roman Catholic Church, new organ, Transylvania
- 2010 Matthias Church large organ’s reconstruction, Budapest, Hungary
- 2010 Zamárdi, new French baroque organ, Zamárdi, Hungary
- 2012 Roman Catholic Church of Rešica, new organ, Slovakia
- 2013 Fábrica da Igreja Paroquial da Freguesia de Sra da Gloria Aveiro, new organ, Portugal
- 2013 Calvinist Parish of Pécs-Kertváros, new organ, Pécs, Hungary– First organ in Hungary with dual usage slider
- 2015 Calvinist Church Kálvin Sq. Budapest, new historic mechanic organ, Budapest, Hungary
- 2015 Fasor Calvinist Church, organ reconstruction, Budapest, Hungary
- 2016 Mátraverebély-Szentkút National Shrine, II/27
- 2017 SOKÓŁ Małopolska Cultural Center, Nowy Sacz, Poland, III/68
- 2017 Zaláta Calvinist Church, I/8
- 2017 Lutheran Church of Buda Castle, Budapest, III/26
