News
Exceptional Interest in the Solti International Conducting Competition
Aspiring conductors were invited to submit their applications by 20 March for the competition. Nearly 400 applications from 61 countries were received by the deadline.
Participants Announced for the Solti International Conducting Competition
On 1 October 2026, the inaugural Solti International Conducting Competition, organised by Müpa Budapest, will get under way. Applications were received from 61 countries for the three-round competition, with nearly 400 young conductors taking part in the preliminary selection process. Following the assessment of the submitted video recordings, 24 competitors have now been selected to advance to the live preliminary round in Pécs.
Schedule of the Pécs Preliminary Rounds of the Solti International Conducting Competition
The preliminary round of the Solti International Conducting Competition is taking place at the Kodály Centre, with the participation of the Pannon Philharmonic, and will continue until 4 October. Detailed information on the format and running order of the round is available on the competition’s dedicated webpage.
Meet the Four Finalits of the Solti International Conducting Competition
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.
Winners of the Solti International Conducting Competition Announced
From nearly 400 applicants, the jury selected the four best conductors to compete in the final on 9 October at Müpa Budapest’s Béla Bartók National Concert Hall. In the final stage of the Solti International Conducting Competition, contestants had to demonstrate their abilities by conducting world-famous musical works. The gala also revealed who had won the favour of the jury and the audience.
Extra content
Müpa Budapest is providing exclusive, continuously updated content to accompany the Solti International Conducting Competition. Immerse yourself in the unique stories of this exciting conducting competition and the fascinating world of conductors!
Videos
“It was truly a dream come true” – Ken-Ichiro Kobayashi, Patron of the Solti International Conducting Competition
In 1974, Ken-Ichiro Kobayashi won the Grand Prix at the first International Conducting Competition organised by Hungarian Television. In our video, he recalls his memories of the competition, describes why the event played such a pivotal role in his life, and explains just how much he owes to it.
“We need to embody Sir Georg Solti’s most important virtues as a conductor,” insists Csaba Káel, CEO of Müpa Budapest.
Káel Csaba recalls the factors the artistic committee took into consideration when putting together the competition format and highlights why it is important to hold an international conducting competition of such a prestigious nature.
“Talented people are always deserving of support,” states György Vashegyi, general music director of the Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra.
György Vashegyi discusses the complexity of assessing conducting talent, what criteria he will observe the competitors by as a jury member, and what qualities he considers will prove decisive in the eventual winner.
“It is difficult to qualify for these competitions” says Róbert Farkas, chief conductor of the MÁV Symphony Orchestra
The chief conductor of the MÁV Symphony Orchestra and artistic director of the German MUZIKA concert series made a name for himself when he won third prize at the International Lovro von Matačić Conducting Competition in 2011, as well as the special orchestral prize of the Croatian Composers’ Society (HDS) at the same event. In his interview, we learn what it is like to take part in an international conducting competition, and why it is important for competitors to retain their own personality.
Bartók: Divertimento – 3rd movement (Live at Müpa Budapest)
At the press conference announcing the Solti International Conducting Competition, the Hungarian Radio Symphony Orchestra performed the third movement of Béla Bartók’s Divertimento under the baton of Róbert Farkas.
“You need to be good in many areas” – Tibor Bogányi, permanent guest conductor of the Pannon Philharmonic Orchestra
The Liszt Prize-winning conductor gained international attention for the Pannon Philharmonic Orchestra during his tenure as the its chief conductor between 2011 and 2023. He conducted the ensemble in such prestigious venues as the Berlin Philharmonie, the Vienna Musikverein and the Zurich Tonhalle. Throughout his career, he has conducted numerous world premieres, and his repertoire extends from the classical masters to contemporary composers. As a member of the artistic committee and jury of the Solti International Conducting Competition, he speaks, among other things, about why it is so difficult to stand out from the crowd in a competition of this kind, and what knowledge and skills are needed to succeed.
Behind the Scenes: creating the Solti International Conducting Competition’s signature theme with Bence Kutrik and Tibor Bogányi
The two-time Artisjus Award-winning composer and pianist and the permanent guest conductor of the Pannon Philharmonic offer a unique glimpse behind the scenes of the creative process, revealing moments from the studio recording sessions and showing how the competition’s signature theme took shape, evolved and ultimately found its final sound.
What do glassmaking and music have in common? The creator of the Solti Awards explains
Péter Borkovics, a leading figure in contemporary Hungarian glass art, takes us inside his workshop and behind the scenes of the creation of the Solti Awards. In his work, glass and music are connected in a fascinating way: he compares the malleability of molten glass to the temporal nature of music, while the finished glass sculptures also echo the conductor’s baton – a defining motif in the visual identity of the competition.
Articles
10 things to know about Sir Georg Solti
Sir Georg Solti was one of the most significant conductors of the 20th century. He was even knighted by Queen Elizabeth II. But do you know why he was referred to as “The Screaming Skull”? And why he had a bone to pick with Maria Callas?
They step on stage as young conductors just starting out, yet this competition can catapult them to international success
The Solti International Conducting Competition, which is organised jointly by Müpa Budapest and Hungarian public media and takes place from 1 to 10 October 2026, offers promising youngsters a valuable opportunity to introduce themselves. Hungary has a rich tradition of conducting competitions that have launched the careers of many a young maestro. In this article, you will find out who they were and what has become of them since.
The Japanese conductor who has made Hungary his second home
Ken-Ichiro Kobayashi’s international career had almost fairytale beginnings. In 1974, he won the first International Conducting Competition, an event organised by Hungarian Television. As a complete unknown arriving from afar, he came, he saw, he conquered – but he did far more than that.
Legendary Conductors From the Past 50 Years
It is no easy task to compile a list of the most iconic conductors of the last half-century, as we are fortunate in having many charismatic artists emerge in the music world who then to go on to become the key leaders of their orchestras. For this article, we have come down to a final selection: Ken'ichiro Kobayashi, Ádám Medveczky, Riccardo Muti, Sir John Eliot Gardiner and Sir Simon Rattle, whose careers we will summarise here from oldest to youngest, with no intention of providing a definitive ranking.
