Born: 30. 03. 1993, Szeged
Position at Liszt Academy: assistant lecturer
Studies:
2017–2021: Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music Doctoral School – Composition DLA
2016–2017: Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music – Composition teacher TMA
2014–2016: Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music – Composition MA, (professor: János Vajda)
2015–2016: Conservatorio di Musica Luigi Cherubini, Firenze – Erasmus+ Program, Composition (Professor: Paolo Furlani) 2011–2014: Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music – Composition BA (professor: János Vajda)
2007–2011: Béla Bartók Secondary Music School – Composition (professor: István Fekete Győr); Piano (professor: Balázs Kecskés)
Teaching experience:
2020– : Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music – associate lecturer (Composition Department)
2017–2020: Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music – external lecturer (Composition Department)
2017-2019: Béla Bartók Secondary Music School – composition teacher
2013-2016: Hungarian Dance Academy – piano accompanist
Awards, competition results, scholarships:
2025: Bartók-Pásztori Prize
2020: Peter Eötvös Foundation – composer mentee
2020: Junior Prima Prize
2020: Istvánffy Benedek Prize (Komm)
2020: „GENERACE” Composition Competition – 1st prize, Ostrava
2020: Junior Artisjus Award
2019: Istvánffy Benedek Award (Trois romances)
2019: Hungarian Academy of Arts - scholarship
2019: New National Excellence Program - scholarship
2018: Garth Newel Award (Accusativus)
2018: János Arany Composition Competition – 3rd prize, Budapest
2018: New National Excellence Program - scholarship
2016: Livorno Music Festival – scholarship for composers
2016: Aurora Musis Amica Award (Psalm Fragment)
2016: Young Talents of the Nation Scholarship
2015: Scholarship of the Hungarian Republic
2015: Young Talents of the Nation Scholarship
2013: Composer Competition in Memory of Géza Gárdonyi – 2nd prize, Budapest
2012: „GENERACE” Composer Competition – 3rd prize, Ostrava
2012: Liszt Academy Composer Competition – 1st prize, Budapest
2011: „Hajnalok Völgye” Choir Festival – MAIN PRIZE, Csáb
2011: Béla Bartók National Composer Competition – 2nd prize, Budapest
Selected works:
2024: Violin Concerto (for violin and symphony orchestra, Ágnes Langer, Gergely Vajda, Pesti Vigadó, Budapest)
Éjszaka (for mixed choir, Miklós Radnóti, San Francisco Choral Artists, San Francisco)
Bagatelles (for violoncello and piano, Domonkos Hartmann, Domonkos Csabay, Liszt Academy, Solti Hall, Budapest)
2023: Viola Concerto (for viola and symphony orchestra, Máté Szűcs, Martin Rajna, Richter Hall, Győr)
2022: Közel (for mixed choir, based on Psalm 34,19, Central Choir of the Hungarian Reformed Church, Ars Sacra Festival, Budapest)
2022: Völgyben (for voice and cello, based on poems by János Lackfi, Viola Thurnay, Eszter Agárdi, Várfok Gallery, Budapest)
2022: Blue (version for string orchestra) (Altalena Music Group, Liszt Academy, Solti Hall, Budapest)
2022: kis rekviem (for male choir and strings, based on poems by János Pilinszky and Sándor Petőfi, Honvéd Male Choir, Vigadó, Budapest)
2021: Blue (for symphony orchestra, Gergely Madaras, Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, Concertgebouw, Amsterdam)
2021: Nachtwache I (for mixed choir, based on the poem of Friedrich Rückert, Kodály Choir, Liszt Academy, Great Hall, Budapest)
2021: “Adj már csendességet” (for mixed choir, based on the poem of Bálint Balassi, Cantabile Choir, Budapest)
2021: Reménykedve várjuk (for mixed choir, based selected verses of the Gospels, Discantus Choir, Fasori Reformed Church, Budapest)
2021: Miserere (version for male choir) (Saint Ephraim Male Choir, Kálvin tér Reformed Church, Budapest)
2021: “like a mighty rushing wind” (for wind ensemble, Danubia Orchestra Óbuda, Budapest Music Center)
2021: extrodaesia (for ensemble, Ars Nova Enesmble, France, Budapest Music Center)
2021: Piano Concerto (for piano solo and string orchestra, János Palojtay, Budapest Strings, Budapest Music Center)
2021: Neue Liebeslieder (for soprano and piano based on texts by Roland Barthes and selected verses of the Song of Songs, Nóra Tatai, Ferenc János Szabó, Hungarian Radio, Marble Hall, Budapest)
2021: Partita (version for two pianos) (Görög Sisters Piano Duo, Hungarian Radio, Studio 6, Budapest)
2020: Bagatelles (for piano solo, István Lajkó, MINI-Festival, Óbudai Társaskör, Budapest)
2020: Miserere (Psalm 139) (for mixed choir, Discantus Choir, Kecskemét, Reformed Church)
2020: Journal (for symphony orchestra, the Hungarian Radio Orchestra, Hungarian Radio, Studio 6, Budapest)
2020: Áldom az Urat minden időben (Psalm 34) (for mixed choir, the participants of the Lutheran Cantor Course, Fót)
2019: Liebeslieder (for flute, cello and piano, Trio Espresso, Liszt Academy, Solti Hall, Budapest)
2019: Komm (for string quartet and four voices, based on texts by Gilles Deleuze, Claire Parnet, Paul Thymich and T. S. Eliot, Kruppa Quartet, Fasori Reformed Church, Budapest)
2018: Relief (for piano solo, Éva Szalai, Budapest Music Center, Budapest)
2018: Concerto grosso (for bass trombone solo and string orchestra, Budapest Strings, Budapest Music Center, Budapest)
2018: Alleluja (for mixed choir, Kodály Choir, Béla Bartók 28th International Choir Competition and Festival, Kölcsey Center, Debrecen)
2018: Trois sérénades (ensemble, Old Liszt Academy, Budapest)
2018: Prelude for Martin Tschiba (for piano solo, WIReless, Tonhalle, Martin Tschiba, Düsseldorf)
2017: Enyhülés (Patience and Courage) (for soprano and piano, based on verses by János Arany, Nóra Tatai, Ferenc János Szabó, MINI-Festival, Vigadó, Budapest)
2017: Trois romances (for mixed choir and piano, New Liszt Ferenc Chamber Choir, Liszt Academy, Solti Hall, Budapest)
2017: Accusativus (piano quartet, Garth Newel Piano Quartet, Garth Newel, USA)
2017: Partita (for piano solo, Domonkos Csabay, Old Liszt Academy, Budapest)
Soundtracks:
2019: Szabadság, harc (short film by Balázs Sára and László Koppány Csáji)
Publications:
2021:
Kecskés D. B.: Ha fél percre elmegy az internet, Papageno, 2020
2017:
Kecskés D. B: Kell-e nekünk a popzene?, Parlando, 2017
Kecskés D. B: Do We Need Popular Music?, Parlando, 2017
Kecskés D. B: A moduláció mint szimbólum, avagy a félhangok felelősségteljes szerepe, Parlando, 2017
Kecskés D. B: Modulation as a Symbol - The ’Highly Responsible’ Role of Semitones, Parlando, 2017
Notable performances, masterclasses, courses:
2025: Festival Europäische Kirchenmusik, Schwäbisch Gmünd – Komm was premiered in Germany by the Helsinki Chamber Choir, the NeoQuartet conducted by Nils Schweckendiek.
2024: Viola Concerto – Máté Szűcs, the Hungarian National Philharmonic conducted by Martin Rajna performed my work written in 2023 in Budapest and Debrecen.
Violin Concerto premiere – the work commissioned by the Hungarian Radio Orchestra was premiered by Ágnes Langer, the Hungarian Radio Orchestra conducted by Gergely Vajda at the Great Hall of the Vigadó, Budapest.
Composer-Not-In-Residence of the San Francisco Choral Artists – in 2023/2024 season I was Composer-Not-In-Residence of the San Francisco Choral Artists. They performed four of my pieces in this period.
2023: Recital Concert – Komm, Bagatelles and the Piano Concerto was performed at the Great Hall of the Vigadó, Budapest, as part of the program series of the Essentia Artis.
Viola Concerto Premiere – Máté Szűcs, Martin Rajna and the Győr Philharmonic Orchestra premiered the new concerto at the Richter Hall, Győr written as part of the mentorship program of the Peter Eötvös Foundation
2022: Gdansk, Helsinki – Komm was performed in Gdansk and Helsinki by the Helsinki Chamber Choir, the NeoQuartet conducted by Nils Schweckendiek.
2022: Amsterdam, Concertgebouw – Blue was premiered by the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra
2019: ISCM Festival – Alleluja was performed by the Collegium Musicale Chamber Choir, Tallinn
2018: Garth Newel Piano Quartet – a week-long residency at the United States invited by the Garth Newel Piano Quartet, Garth Newel, USA
2017: Dark Music Days Festival – Masterclass of Hugi Gudmundsson, Rejkjavik
2016: Livorno Music Festival – Masterclass of Christopher Austin, Livorno
2016: Royal Academy of Music – study visit, London
2014: Masterclass of David Lang, Budapest
2014: Masterclass of Heinz Holliger, Budapest
2013: Conservatorio Santa Cecilia – study visit, Rome
2012: International Bartók Seminary – Masterclass of Louis Andriessen és Fabio Nieder, Szombathely
2012: Academy of Music in Cracow– study visit, Cracow
Website: www.kecskesdbalazs.com
Contact: balazskecskesd[at]gmail.com