Meet the Four Finalits of the Solti International Conducting Competition
7 October 2026
Ten talented young conductors put their skills to the test on 5–6 October in the Grand Hall of the Liszt Academy. In the semi-final of the Solti International Conducting Competition, the contestants were required to demonstrate their abilities by conducting arias by Mozart and Puccini as well as contemporary works. Following their performances, the international jury selected four conductors to advance to the final.
In the semi-final, the conductors worked with the Hungarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and five vocal soloists – Barna Bartos, Csilla Boross, Mária Celeng, Ildikó Megyimórecz and Károly Szemerédy – performing one aria each by Mozart and Puccini, as well as a contemporary work.
Audiences heard Judit Varga’s DOT-DOT-LINE. and the first movement of Levente Gyöngyösi’s Symphony No. 5. Both works were specially made for the Solti International Conducting Competition, meaning that the contestants had to perform pieces they had never heard before, following just 20 minutes of rehearsal.
Based on the decision of the jury, chaired by Pinchas Steinberg, Francesco Cagnasso (Switzerland / Italy), Fernando Gaggini (Argentina), Drummado Wijnhamer (the Netherlands) and Yu-Te Wu (Taiwan, China) have advanced to the final on 9 October.
Following the announcement of the results, lots were drawn to determine which works by Verdi, Mussorgsky, Dukas, J. Strauss, Liszt, Dohnányi, Kodály or Bartók each finalist will conduct with the Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra.
The final and the gala concert, including the announcement of the results, will take place in the Béla Bartók National Concert Hall at Müpa Budapest on 9 and 10 October respectively. At the gala concert, the international jury will reveal which of the four conductors they have selected as the winner, while the recipient of the Audience Prize will also be announced.
Members of the public can vote for their favourite conductor from 10 am on 7 October until the end of the final conductor’s performance at the gala concert on 10 October.
Those unable to attend in person can follow the final round and the announcement of the results live on several platforms. The events will be broadcast by Müpa Home, medici.tv, M5 and Bartók Radio.
The semi-final performances can be watched again on the Solti International Conducting Competition website.
