Balázs Szabó Takes The Top Prize At The ION Organ Competition In Nuremberg

2011. May 27.

The most prestigious and longest running organ festival in Germany (the Internationale Orgelwoche Nürnberg ION) is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. Previous winners of the organ competition are Europe’s leading organists by now, who – almost without exception – laid the foundations of their careers with the prize they won in Nuremberg. The fact that the first time the top prize was awarded to a Hungarian organist in the history of the competition is especially pleasing in the Year of Liszt, 2011.

To commemorate the bicentenary of Ferenc Liszt’s birth, works by the Hungarian composer were centerpieces in the competition’s program. A six member panel of judges evaluated contestants’ musicality, technical skills and aptitude in full anonymity through three rounds. The 14 organists who were selected to compete had to tackle 300 years worth of organ music, three different organs, but most of all the limited time available for preparation. The double, 200 and 60 year anniversary leg to a result that unique in the history of the competition: the judges awarded two first prizes without selecting a runner-up and a third place contestant. Bavarian Radio aired a live broadcast of the two top prize winners’ – Balázs Szabó and Sebastian Küchler-Blessing – joint concert that was held at Sankt Sebald Church. Balázs Szabó most enthralled the audience with his Liszt interpretation and an organ transcription of Ligeti’s Hungarian Rock. The competition’s winners received invitations for concert performances at some of the most prestigious festivals in Europe, including the world famous organs of Vienna, Ottobeuren, Freiberg, Zurich and Schwerin. Organist Balázs Szabó graduated from the Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest and went on to continue his studies in Germany and Italy. In 2010 he received his master organist title from the University of Music Wuerzburg with the mentoring of Dr. Christoph Bossert, and successfully concluded Organ Expert training in Rome and Trossingen. He has won awards at several international organ competitions, received the City of Miskolc Standard of Excellence Award, and the Junior Prima Prize. Organ Expert training will begin at the Liszt Academy of Music under the direction of Balázs Szabó in September 2011. Audiences in Budapest will have the chance to hear him play at the Palace of Arts on November 23, where he will perform together with his master, Christoph Bossert, at a concert featuring works by Liszt and Bach.

27.5.2011