PROGRAMME:
Johann Sebastian Bach
Cello Suite No 6 in D Major, BWV 1012
Zoltán Kodály
Sonata for solo cello, Op. 8
Ildikó Szabó was born in 1993 into a family of musicians. As a prodigious cellist, she was admitted at the age of 11 to the Exceptional Talents’ Class at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music, Budapest, in the class of Professor László Mező. Since October 2011, she has been working with Professor Jens Peter Maintz at the Berlin University of the Arts.
She has been a prize winner at 15 international competitions and has received a number of important awards. She is the first prize winner at the IV. Popper International Cello Competition, VII. Janigro International Cello Competition, Haydn Competition of Summer String Academy – Jacobs School of Music, Alfredo e Vanda Marcosig European Cello Competition, and Liezen International Cello Competition.
In 2013, Ildikó received the Junior Prima Prize, one of the most prestigious prizes for young outstanding artists under 30 in Hungary. She is a scholarship recipient of the Study Foundation of the German Nation. She has also received invitations with full scholarship from the Verbier Festival Academy and the International Music Academy of Liechtenstein.
Ildikó has made numerous appearances in some of the world’s greatest concert halls: Laeiszhalle in Hamburg, Mozarteum in Salzburg, Teatro La Fenice in Venice, Conservatoire of Lausanne, Auer Concert Hall in Bloomington (Indiana, USA), Casa da Musica in Porto, Franz Liszt Academy of Music, and the Palace of Arts in Budapest. Concerts at world leading music festivals include the Verbier Festival, The International Holland Music Sessions, and the Budapest Spring Festival. As a soloist, she has performed with orchestras such as Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra, Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra, Concerto Budapest, Porto Symphony Orchestra, and Hamburg Symphony Orchestra; and with conductors like Michael Sanderling, Luciano di Martino, Gábor Takács-Nagy, András Keller, Zsolt Hamar, and Tamás Vásáry.
After hearing Ildikó in 2007, the legendary János Starker praised her as „ ... an exceptionally gifted young cellist“. Since then, she continued her studies with him every summer until 2010. Other important influences have come from world-acclaimed musicians, such as Lynn Harrell, Natalia Gutman, Philippe Muller, David Geringas, Frans Helmerson, Gary Hoffman, Lluis Claret, Wolfgang Emanuel Schmidt, and Gustav Rivinius, among others.
At the age of 14, she released her first CD recording, “Dances of the Elves”, under Hungaroton Classic label (HCD 32592), where she presents some of the most virtuosic pieces of the cello repertoire. This recording has been praised internationally. At the age of 18, she produced her first DVD recording, which contains works by J.S. Bach, Beethoven, Martinu, and Kodály’s Solo Sonata.
Since March 2013, she has been playing an Antonio Sgarbi cello (Rome, 1894), generously loaned to her by the German Foundation of Musical Life.
„It is different. It is creative, idiosyncratic and trend-setting in all aspects. It is much more than a difficult to win music contest – TONALi. It drives top sponsorship and at the same time initiates the impulse for cultural education. It addresses young composers, high potential young musicians and numerous young listeners (more than 10,000 in 12 Hamburg based schools), who often find to classical music because of TONALi. It is a total work of art, which has been cleverly and effectively adjusted to the actual music situation. The city of Hamburg, which has strong musical scene, can be proud of TONALI, which no one today wants to miss anymore and which has found much attention far beyond Hamburg.
It is with much personal solicitousness and respect in my role as honorary president that I see the rapid development of TONALi. This unique and highly demanding music project, initiated in 2009 by two young cellists Amadeus Templeton and Boris Matchin will see its fourth edition in 2014 as a result of tireless dedication, voluntary commitment and the support of many personalities, institutions and sponsors.
The 2014 competition focuses on the violin. 12 violinists (with residence in Germany), all aiming for a solo career, may qualify and compete to win the TONALi-prize worth 10,000 Euro. Those making it to the final, will be invited to perform a violin concert in the big hall at Laeiszhalle Hamburg with the renowned The Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen. This poses a strong incentive for the young musicians to perform at their very best and makes them happily engage themselves with TONALi fundamental principles:
• A distinctive interest in the future of classical concerts, which in its format looks for new ideas, new rituals and contemporary communication.
• Active discussion about the question the musician can take more responsibility for the development of classical concert future.
• The willingness to widely communicate these new formats, encouraged by TONALi by its unique school activities that prove a contemporary relation between audience and musician.
TONALi sets a trend as a result of its threefold structure: „writing (composition prize), performing (Grand Prix) and listening (TuttiContest)“ and challenges many in various ways.
Christoph Eschenbach, Conductor and TONALi Honorary President.
Official website: www.tonali.de
The concert will take place with the amicable support of the Senate and Ministry of Culture of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg
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