Three generations and a single instrument

Organist students and teachers of the Liszt Academy have a whole-day series of concerts in Müpa Budapest on 26 January. The concert by the department’s youngest, first-, second- and third-year students starts at 10 am, while the masters students’ concert starts at 3 pm, playing works by major composers of the 20th century, for example César Franck, Zoltán Gárdonyi, Zsolt Gárdonyi, Langlais, Antallfy-Zsíross, Guy Bovet, Widor, Mendelssohn, Vierne, Duruflé, Messiaen and Brahms. Admission to both exam concerts is free; productions are evaluated by a jury but the public can also vote for those students they feel should appear in the concert at the end of the day. The recital starting at 7.30 pm and entitled Three Organist Generations features the Liszt Academy’s professors of the organ – István Ruppert, János Pálúr, László Fassang, Balázs Szabó – and their students; the evening is concluded with an improvisation by János Pálúr and László Fassang.

Less than a month after the exam concert, Ton Koopman holds an organ master class in the Béla Bartók National Concert Hall (organized by the Liszt Academy), from 6 pm on 18 February, and from 10 am on 19 February. The Dutch organist, harpsichordist and conductor is one of the most significant Baroque keyboardists of our day and a towering figure in the early music movement. He completed his studies (Amsterdam) in both instruments with honours, in addition to which he also studied musicology. His interest turned towards Baroque music while still a student and after setting up several small ensembles he finally established the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra (1979), supplemented with a chorus 13 years later. He has headed both formations since their creation. He is a professor at the University of Leiden, honorary professor of the Royal Academy of Music London, and artistic director of the Itinéraire Baroque Festival. He is a regular guest at the world’s foremost concert halls as performer on both instruments and with his ensembles, while as a conductor he has directed the leading orchestras of the world.

Only Liszt Academy students may apply as active performers for his master class (held in English) to laszlofassang [at] gmail [dot] com; passive participants can register their interest by writing to furka [dot] beata [at] zeneakaemia [dot] hu. Deadline: 1 February.

Reconstruction of the historical organ in the Grand Hall of the Liszt Academy starts in the summer of 2016. Organ concerts of the Liszt Academy will be staged in outside venues until the completion of the restoration project.