The city of Pécs, in the South East of Hungary, is an important cultural centre, with a symphony orchestra that continues a tradition of some two and a half centuries. After its reorganisation in 1984, the Pécs Symphony Orchestra undertook a series of important concert tours abroad with performances throughout Europe and worked with a number of distinguished conductors. Orchestral repertoire was broadened particularly under the English conductor Howard Williams from 1989, with an increased attention to contemporary music. In 1993 Nicolás Pasquet, winner of the 1987 Besançon competition, was appointed chief conductor. The orchestra now performs as the Pannon Philharmonic Orchestra.