Remarkable performance by Liszt Academy students at the 4th International Cello Festival

Four students of the Liszt Academy participated successfully in the 4th International Cello Festival in Székesfehérvár. The students representing the Liszt Academy at the opening concert held at the concert hall of the László Hermann Music School were Ráhel Borka (Weber: Sonata in A major), Yosuke Shimizu (Shostakovich: Cello Concerto Nr. 1, 1st and 4th movement), Bence Bánkövi (Penderecki: Per Slava, Kodály: Solo Sonata, 2nd movement) and Kristina Vocetková (Suk: Ballade, Dvořák: Rondo).

16 year-old Yosuke Shimizu, participant of the School for Exceptional Young Talents of the Liszt Academy, performed Haydn’s Cello Concerto in C major with the Alba Regia Symphonic Orchestra at the celebratory concert of the festival, in front of a full house.  During the evening, the founding professors of the festival performed special pieces for four cellos, and the event was also the world premiere of composer Péter Tóth’s Suite for Cellos.

The European Cello Festival was founded four years ago by four world renowned musicians and university professors: Brazilian-Swiss cellist Marcio Carneiro, German-Chilean cellist Olaf Niessing, Brazilian-German cellist Matias de Oliveira Pinto and Hungarian cellist and professor emeritus Csaba Onczay. The festival was first held in 2015 in Lingen, Germany, and every year it moves to another founder's home country: In 2016 it was held in Ouro Branco, Brazil, in 2017 in Talca, Chile, and it came to Hungary this year.

“As a founder of the festival I am happy to note that the students of the Liszt Academy gave an outstanding performance, and several of the international professors and participants would like to get to know our institution, also they are considering applying for our master's degree programme; our cellists have attracted attention and their participation was appreciated in general” – said professor emeritus Csaba Onczay.

Students from around the world came to the festival to participate in a symposium, master classes, individual piano lessons, and sessions with various cello ensembles between 25 November and 2 December 2018, and to perform along with professors in five concerts at three venues every evening, in front of a full house. Half of the 22 participants were Hungarian, and there were students from Germany, Greece, Brazil, Chile and New Zealand, as well.