Born: 1962, Kalocsa
Academic degree, university position: DMA, associate professor, head of department
Studies:
1969-1976: Primary School of Music, Kalocsa
1976-1981: Secondary School of Music, Győr
1981-1989: Franz Liszt Academy of Music Diploma in composition and music theory
1991-1993: Chicago Musical College of Roosevelt University, Chicago, Illinois, USA – Masters Degree (MMU) in composing
1993-1996: Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
1996: Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA – Doctoral Degree with honours (DMA) in composition, thesis title: An analysis of the opera "The Ghosts of Versailles" by John Corigliano and William M. Hoffman
Private studies:
composition: with Attila Bozay, Emil Petrovics, János Vajda , M. William Karlins, Stephen Syverud, Jay Alan Yim, Patricia Morehead, Robert Lombardo
piano: with József Tóth, Margit Oláh, Gábor Nagy
singing (bass): with Margit Kaposy, Anna Pauk
Master classes:
John Corigliano, William Bolcom, Mesias Maiguashca, Marta Ptaszynska
Scholarships:
1995-1996: Fulbright grant
1999: Scholarship of the Hungarian Academy in Rome
2001: Eötvös Scholarship – visiting the courses of IRCAM in Paris
2002: Békésy Post-Doctoral Scholarship
2005: Fulbright Scholar Program – Chicago College of Performing Arts
Teaching activities:
1987: Béla Bartók Secondary School of Music, Budapest – teaching solfege for seniors. Teaching music theory in two first-year groups.
1993-1996: Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA – assistant professor teaching solfege and music theory, then co-ordinator of the programme.
In 1996: teaching composition as main subject.
Since 1997: Franz Liszt Academy of Music, teaching orchestration.
Teaching composition as main subject and prosody for freshmen.
Group classes in orchestration and composition for students of musicology, organ and composition majors.
Since 2005: University of Theatre, Film and Television in Budapest – teaching music theory and music history at the film department for students of film directing, production management, television programme directing and editing.
Visiting lectureships, master courses:
1999: Visiting Fellow at the Santa Cecilia Academy in Rome
2002, 2003: Visiting Lecturer at the Semmering Vienna-Praha-Budapest Summer Music Academy in Austria
2004: Hungarian delegate at the ISCM conference in Switzerland
Ensemble memberships:
1981-1989. TOMKINS Ensemble (bass singer), concert tour performing Gregorian to 20th century pieces in Europe and Japan
Concerts with Zoltán Kocsis, Dezső Ránki, Éva Marton and the Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra
Recordings:
1986: Pulsus (published by Hungaroton)
1988: Kamara kantáta ("Chamber Cantata"), recorded by Radio WDR
2001: his first CD is released by Hungaroton Classic Record Company
Commissions, compositions (selected works):
1999: The Redeemed Town, multiple award winning one-act opera, it received its premiere in 2002 in the Hungarian State Opera House
2011: Excelsior! Liszt Ferenc Goes to Heaven, opera written for the Liszt bicentennial
He holds commissions by the Hungarian State Opera, Budapest Chamber Symphony, Chicago Pro Musica and The Music Group of Philadelphia.
He has worked for numerous theater and film productions in Hungary.
Sample works:
BACKGROUND Basson, Piano (1990)
SURAKI Clarinet (1995)
PYRAMUS AND THISBE Saxophone, Harp (2014)
MY LOVE – for orchestra (2015)
Memberships:
Since 1998: Hungarian Composers' Association, Member of the BoardCommittee Member of the European Cultural Foundation
Sample works:
BACKGROUND Basson, Piano (1990)
SURAKI Clarinet (1995)
PYRAMUS AND THISBE Saxophone, Harp (2014)
MY LOVE – for orchestra (2015)
Memberships:
Since 1998: Hungarian Composers' Association, Member of the BoardCommittee Member of the European Cultural Foundation
Miscellanious:
1985-1989: Hungarian Radio – Entertainment Programmes Department
Editing jazz programmes, later working at Danubius Radio.
Awards, honours:
1987: Kincses Award for composers
1994: Philip and Ruby Danielson Award - for his contribution in music, Northwestern University
1996: Faricy Award for composers, Northwestern University
2001: Erkel Award
2003: ARTISJUS Award, for best classical music composition: The Redeemed Town
2011: Bartók–Pásztory Prize
Contact:
Address: 1137 BUDAPEST, Pozsonyi út 5. IV/1.
Tel: 0036-30/562-7573 Fax: 462-4643