Born: 1961, Budapest
Academic degree, university position: senior lecturer
Department: Keyboard and Harp Department
Studies:
1983: He graduated from the Franz Liszt Academy of Music – professors: Klára Máthé, Pál Kadosa, Zoltán Kocsis, György Kurtág, and Ferenc Rados
Postgraduate studies: Munich, Moscow – professors: Mikhail S. Voskresensky, Amadeus Webersinke, Ludwig Hoffmann and Yvonne Lefébure
Teaching activities:
He has been teaching at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music since 1987.
Invited lecturer, master classes:
1997-1998: South Korea, Yeungnam University – guest professor
2006, Spring semester: New Jersey Montclair State University (USA) – guest piano professor
Ha has given master classes across the world.
Lately he has often been a jury-member at prestigous music competitions in the Netherlands, Italy, Bulgaria, Russia, etc.
Major concerts, recordings:
He has given concerts in more than 30 countries of four continents. His repertoire embraces a wide scope in every style of music, a distinguished role being given to chamber music. His most significant partners have so far been: Clemens Hagen, Aurèle Nicolet, Zoltán Kocsis, Miklós Perényi, Gervaise de Peyer.
As a soloist, he has performed with many significant orchestras, such as the Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra and the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, directed by Sir Simon Rattle. Once, in Belgrade, he played the D-Minor Piano concerto of Brahms instead of Nikita Magaloff. His musical versatility is demonstrated by the fact that in London he directed the Brandenburg concerto No.5. of J. S. Bach from in front of the harpsichord.
His numerous recordings has been released by NAXOS, HUNGAROTON and other companies. In 1992, one of his Grieg-NAXOS CDs was awarded "Record of the Year" in London. Ha has made numerous radio and television recordings with BBC-London, RIAS-Berlin, AVRO and TROS-Holland, RAI-Torino, CBC-Canada, Hungarian radio and Television (among others).
Awards and decorations:
Between the years 1973 and 1990 he triumphed or was awarded at many international piano and chamber music competitions, among which the most important ones are: Usti-nad-Labem, Zwikau, Leeds, Brussels, Montreal, Terni, Budapest.
2001: Liszt Prize
Webpage: www.szokolaybalazs.com
Contact: szoky_balage@yahoo.com