János Balázs Piano Recital

János Balázs is a highly accomplished Hungarian pianist who began his career at the age of 16, having won the Franz Liszt International Piano Competition. He has received numerous international awards, including the ECHO Rising Star and Young Steinway Artist titles, and has been recognised in Poland for performing all of Frédéric Chopin’s works. Balázs is a permanent jury member for several prestigious competitions and has released over 15 albums. He is dedicated to performing and recording the works of contemporary Hungarian composers, particularly László Dubrovay’s complete piano pieces. His solo recital programme pays tribute to the legendary 20th-century Hungarian pianist, György Cziffra. Balázs is set to promote Cziffra’s life’s work and artistic legacy as widely as possible, with a programme ranging from emblematic works of Romantic piano literature to contemporary Hungarian music. The programme opens with Chopin and features works by the recently deceased Péter Eötvös and János Balázs’s close friend, László Dubrovay. The first three pieces draw inspiration from water, as seen in works by Chopin, Liszt and Strauss. This is followed by a Wagner paraphrase and one of Liszt’s most famous works: the Dante Sonata, frequently performed by Cziffra. Next, Hungarian music and improvisation take centre stage. First, János Balázs will perform an improvisation based on Hungarian folk music motifs. This is followed by character pieces by the aforementioned world-famous contemporary Hungarian composers. The evening will conclude with Liszt’s 6th Hungarian Rhapsody, inspired by Hungarian Gypsy music, a particular favourite of György Cziffra’s.

A joint concert of the Cziffra Festival and the Liszt Institute New York.

Supporters:

Prime Minister’s Office of Hungary, Bethlen Gábor Fund, and the Ministry of Culture and Innovation of Hungary.