19th INTERNATIONAL GUITAR FESTIVAL BALATONFÜRED June 22–28, 2025
PROGRAM
THE FESTIVAL’S GUEST OF HONOR: MASAKI SAKURAI (Japan), MASTER GUITAR MAKER
Sunday, June 22, 2025
19:30 OPENING CONCERT
DUO AZUL HORIZONTE<br>FROM CLASSICAL MUSIC TO JAZZ<br>ANTAL PUSZTAI (HU/A) and MIGUEL DELAQUIN (URG/A)
Duo Azul Horizonte
TONY PUSZTAI – GUITARIST and MIGUEL DELAQUIN – GUITARIST
Duo Azul Horizonte combines the brilliance of Tony Pusztai, a multi-award-winning musician with over 15 international first prizes, and his musical discovery, Miguel Delaquin. Their repertoire is a vibrant mix of original compositions, ranging from the elegance of classical music to the rhythms of Latin, flamenco, and jazz. With each performance, they create a captivating fusion that bridges tradition and innovation.
PROGRAMME
INTERNATIONAL GUITAR FESTIVAL BALATONFÜRED – EVENING GUITAR CONCERTS IN THE ANNA GRAND HOTEL BALLROOM
Antal Pusztai
(Hungary / Austria), guitarist
PROGRAMME
June 22, 2025, 19:30
Venue: Anna Grand Hotel Ballroom, Balatonfüred, Gyógy tér 1.
On the Programme:
Tony Pusztai: Invitation
Tony Pusztai: Wake up
Tony Pusztai: Hand to Hand
Egberto Gismonti: Frevo
Tony Pusztai: Salute to Bach
Frederic Moup: People
INTERMISSION
Duo Azul Horizonte
(Tony Pusztai (Hungary / Austria), guitar and Miguel Delaquin (Uruguay / Austria))
On the Programme:
Miguel Delaquin: Cuatarembo
Miguel Delaquin: Samba Fatiga
Tony Pusztai: For Jimmy Hendrix
Astor Piazzolla: Oblivion
Chick Corea: Spain
Tony Pusztai: Lilly
Miguel Delaquin: Ayan Sele
Miguel Delaquin: Ven Baja Amen
Miguel Delaquin: Attends Cherie
Venue: Anna Grand Hotel Ballroom, Balatonfüred, Gyógy tér 1.
Book your ticket for the concert by clicking this link, or purchase your festival pass here!
Monday, June 23, 2025
09:00 – 13:00 Public Masterclass
09:00 – 11:00 József Eötvös
11:00 – 13:00 Jazz Workshop with Antal Pusztai
Venue: Ferencsik János Music School, Balatonfüred, Ady Endre u. 13.
19:30 – CONCERT
Concert by guitarist BÁLINT BRESS (Hungary)<br>and FARKAS TÁTRAI (Hungary)
BÁLINT BRESS – GUITARIST
He began his musical studies at the age of 8 at the Józsefváros Music School as a student of Miklós Mosóczi, but only decided to pursue a career in music after graduating from high school. In 2011, he was admitted to the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music in the guitar class of József Eötvös. From 2014 to 2015, he studied in Italy on an Erasmus scholarship under the guidance of Giampaolo Bandini, and during his university years, he participated in master classes with internationally renowned artists such as Carlo Marchione, Judicael Perroy and Lukasz Kuropaczewski.
He received his Master of Music degree with honors in 2017 and his artist-teacher degree in 2018. During his studies, he was awarded the “Scholarship for Young Talents of the Nation” twice and alos received the Bank of China scholarship. He has successfully participated in several domestic and international competitions, and in 2018, he was awarded a special prize for the best performance of a Mertz piece at the J.K. Mertz Competition in Bratislava. He regularly performs both as a soloist and as a chamber musician. In addition to concerts in Hungary, he has performed in Croatia, Italy, and England.
He is currently a student at the Doctoral School of the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music, and the topic of his dissertation focuses on the guitar music of Ferenc Farkas. He is active not only as an artist, but also as a teacher. From 2014 to 2023, he was an art teacher at the Józsefváros Music School, and then at the Aladár Tóth Music School. Since 2022, he has been a lecturer at the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music.
He is currently a doctoral student at the Doctoral School of the Franz Liszt Academy of Music, focusing his dissertation on the guitar music of Ferenc Farkas. He is active not only as an artist, but also as a teacher. From 2014 to 2023, he was a guitar teacher at the Józsefváros Music School, after which he teaches at the Aladár Tóth Music School. Since 2022, he has been a lecturer at the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music.
FARKAS TÁTRAI – GUITARIST
Farkas Tátrai started his guitar studies at the age of two under the guidance of his father. At the age of six, he became a student of Erika Sára at the Apáczai Csere János Cultural Centre in Pécs, under whose guidance he was an early winner of several national competitions. He completed his secondary school studies at the Pécs Secondary School of Art in the class of Tamás Straub, during which time he achieved further national successes and was twice awarded the Pro Talento prize of the city of Pécs.
In 2017, he was admitted to the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music in Budapest, where he obtained his Master’s degree in Classical Guitar in the spring of 2022 as a student of András Csáki. In the same year he was awarded the prestigious Fischer Annie Prize. Subsequently, between 2022 and 2023, he attended postgraduate studies at the Music Art House Academy in Palermo, where he studied under renowned artists such as Lorenzo Micheli, Jeremy Jouve and Gilbert Imperial.
He is currently pursuing his research at the Doctoral School of the Liszt Academy of Music, focusing on 19th century Parisian guitar music. He also works as a lecturer at the Liszt Academy of Music and the Weiner Leó Music High School. In recent years he has won first prizes and podium finishes in several prestigious international competitions.
PROGRAMME
INTERNATIONAL GUITAR FESTIVAL BALATONFÜRED – EVENING GUITAR CONCERTS AT VASZARY GALLERY
Bálint Bress
(Hungary), guitarist
PROGRAMME
June 23, 2025, 19:30
Venue: Vaszary Gallery, Balatonfüred, Honvéd u. 2-4.
On the Programme:
John Dowland: A Fantasie p.71
Barna Kováts: Nocturne Rhapsodique
Joaquín Turina: Sonata
Farkas Tátrai
(Hungary), guitarist
On the Programme:
J. S. Bach: Lute Suite in A minor (BWV 995) – Prelude
Giulio Regondi: Air Varie No. 1 (Op. 21)
Barna Kováts: Suite Hommage à Goldoni
Regino Sainz de la Maza: Rondeña
INTERMISSION
EMA KAPOR (Serbia)<br>guitarist
EMA KAPOR – GUITARIST
Ema Kapor was born in 1998 in Belgrade, Serbia, where she completed primary music school and the music high school “Stanković” in the class of Professor Boris Đujić. She completed preparatory studies at the Koblenz International Guitar Academy in Germany with Hubert Käppel (2015–2017) before continuing her studies at the Cologne University of Music and Dance with Hubert Käppel, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in 2021. She then pursued her studies at the Robert Schumann Hochschule Düsseldorf in the class of Professor Joaquín Clerch, graduating with a Master’s degree with highest honors. In addition to her studies, she attended summer courses and masterclasses with renowned guitarists and pedagogues such as Oscar Ghiglia, Zoran Dukić, Álvaro Pierri, and Marcin Dylla.
Ema Kapor has won more than 40 prizes at national and international guitar competitions. Her early achievements include three first prizes at the Serbian National Competition for Music and Ballet Schools in 2008, 2010, and 2012. Among her recent awards are the first prize at the International Guitar Festival José Tomás Villa de Petrer in Spain (2021) and first prizes at the Nürtingen International Guitar Festival and Forum Gitarre Wien in 2023.
She has performed solo concerts in Germany, Spain, Finland, Greece, Montenegro, Serbia, France, Austria, and the Czech Republic. In addition to her solo performances, she also performs as part of the Kapor-Okanović guitar duo and the Rheinsaiten guitar quartet.
Ema plays a traditional classical guitar made by Paco Santiago Marin and uses D’Addario strings exclusively.
PROGRAMME
INTERNATIONAL GUITAR FESTIVAL BALATONFÜRED – EVENING GUITAR CONCERTS AT VASZARY GALLERY
Ema Kapor
(Serbia), guitarist
PROGRAMME
June 23, 2025, 19:30
Venue: Vaszary Gallery, Balatonfüred, Honvéd u. 2-4.
On the Programme:
Francis Poulenc: Sarabande
Darius Milhaud: Segoviana
Alberto Ginastera: Sonata para Guitarra Op. 47
Manuel María Ponce: Variations sur “Folia de España” et Fugue
Venue: Vaszary Gallery, Balatonfüred, Honvéd u. 2-4.
Book your ticket for the concert by clicking this link, or purchase your festival pass here!
Tuesday, June 24, 2025
09:00 – 13:00 Public Masterclass with Borbála Seres
Venue: Ferencsik János Music School, Balatonfüred, Ady Endre u. 13.
19:30 – CONCERT – jointly organized by the Tempevölgy Publishing House and the Guitar Festival
Concert by PÉTER SOMOGYI, LÁSZLÓ PÓLUS and JÓZSEF EÖTVÖS
PÉTER SOMOGYI VIOLINIST
Concertmaster, violinist. He is concertmaster of the Weiner-Szász Chamber Symphony Orchestra and founder and first violinist of the Somogyi Quartet, a quartet playing mainly Hungarian contemporary music.
He studied at the Academy of Music under Dénes Kovács and Eszter Perényi. Second prize winner of the 1980 Koncz János Violin Competition, winner of the 1983 Who knows? competition, special prize winner at the 1988 Sion Violin Competition in Switzerland, and grand prize winner at the 1990 Hubay Jenő Violin Competition. In 1992 he was awarded a scholarship to the Rubin Academy in Tel Aviv, where his teacher was Vera Vaidman. During this time he made several recordings for Radio Jerusalem. He later trained at the master classes of Jelizaveta Gilels, Ruggiero Ricci and Isaac Stern. In 1995/96 he taught in Seoul. He is currently a lecturer at the Liszt Academy of Music.
LÁSZLÓ PÓLUS – CELLIST
After his studies at music school, László Pólus became a student at the Zoltán Kodály Secondary School of Music in Debrecen, where his teacher was László Papp.
In 1990, he won the 1st prize at the II. National Secondary School Gondo Competition in Kecskemét.
In September 1990, he continued his studies at the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music under the guidance of cellist László Mező.
He participated in master classes with Csaba Onczay, Miklós Perényi, Uzi Wiesel, and David Geringas.
After receiving his diploma, he studied with Thomas Demenga at the Musikakademie der Stadt Basel as a Swiss Federal Scholar (1995–96).
In 1992, he won the Grand Prize at the Budapest Festival of Youth European Strings.
In 1993, he represented the Liszt Academy in Paris with his fellow musicians at an international chamber music meeting, which was recorded on CD.
Also in 1993, he regularly participated in the Orchestra Academy, a programme of the Hungarian Radio Symphony Orchestra for young musicians, where he performed in numerous concerts and radio recordings under internationally renowned conductors.
In the summer of 1994, he participated in the Schleswig-Holstein Festival Orchestra, performing Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet under the baton of Mstislav Rostropovich.
In June 1994, he won first prize at the Popper Gordon Competition organised by the Liszt Academy, and in 1998 he was awarded the Special Prize at the Hungarian Radio Cello Competition.
Since 1996, he has been solo cellist of the Hungarian State Opera House, and since 1999, he has been a member of the Somogyi String Quartet.
From 1994 to 1996, he was a member of the Weiner-Szász Chamber Symphony Orchestra of Budapest.
From 2001 to 2004, he taught at the Teacher Training Institute of the Liszt Ferenc University of Music and Performing Arts.
In September 2009, he began doctoral studies at the Faculty of Arts of the University of Pécs, where he obtained his doctoral degree (DLA) in 2015.
Awards and recognitions:
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1999 Artisjus Prize
-
2002 Juventus Prize
-
2016 János Ferencsik Prize
JÓZSEF EÖTVÖS – GUITARIST
József Eötvös was born in Pécs in 1962. He studied guitar and composition at the Franz Liszt University of Music in Weimar.
He regularly gives concerts in several countries of the world, from Hungary to Japan. His arrangements are musical curiosities which are played on this instrument only by him in the whole wide world. His arrangement of Bach’s Goldberg Variations is regarded by critics as the arrangement of the century. His compositions written on the guitar and other instruments have also been released.
He has been a teacher at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest since 2002 and he was the first in Hungary to establish a guitar faculty at a university (music academy) level.
In 2002 and 2010, he was given the Artisjus Prize for the introduction and popularization of contemporary Hungarian musical pieces and he was awarded the Franz Liszt Prize in 2004 in recognition of his work.
His college course book titled ‘Thoughts on J. S. Bach’s Music and the Performance of His Lute Works’ was published by the University of Pécs in 2006 in Hungarian and the same in English by the title ‘How to Play Bach’ in 2014.
Head of the guitar department of the Liszt Academy, professor.
PROGRAMME
INTERNATIONAL GUITAR FESTIVAL BALATONFÜRED – EVENING GUITAR CONCERTS IN THE ANNA GRAND HOTEL BALLROOM
Péter Somogyi
(Hungary), violinist
László Pólus
(Hungary), cellist
József Eötvös
(Hungary), guitarist
PROGRAMME
June 24, 2025, 19:30
Venue: Anna Grand Hotel Ballroom, Balatonfüred, Gyógy tér 1.
On the Programme:
Iván Madarász: Ten Prayers of Jan Janson
INTERMISSION
Concert by the GUITAR ORCHESTRA OF THE LISZT ACADEMY
GUITAR ORCHESTRA OF THE LISZT ACADEMY – CONDUCTED BY GUITARIST ERIKA CZAKÓ
The Guitar Orchestra of the Liszt Academy
The Guitar Orchestra of the Liszt Academy of Music, composed of current students of the classical guitar department, prepares for its concerts in the framework of scheduled projects. Guitar ensembles are very popular all over the world. This is no coincidence: the classical guitar, not being a symphonic orchestral instrument, is a very lonely instrument in itself. However, when paired with a guitar chamber partner, in a chamber group or guitar ensemble, or in a guitar chamber orchestra, guitarists can experience the joy of playing together, which gives the audience and listeners a special, rarely heard musical experience. Guitar ensembles are most often made up of young musicians studying at music school or intermediate level. It is rare to find an ensemble made up of graduates from music academies, who can also hold their own as soloists on the podium and play excellent master instruments.
The members of the guitar orchestra 2025 are: István Ádám, Lilla Bátai, Roland Bogdányi, Dániel Gégényi, Márton Girincsi, Mátyás Kaszab, Eszter Korényi, Vilmos Oláh, Zalán Sándor, László Szegedi, Ágoston Szendi, Bence Szigeti, Yang Wenqiang
Leader and conductor of the orchestra: Erika Czakó, József Vietórisz Prize-winning master teacher, guitar teacher and chamber musician, orchestra leader, head of the Music Department of the Nyíregyháza Secondary School of Music, teacher at the Liszt Ferenc University of Music in Budapest, teacher and head of the Music Department of the Vikár Sándor Music Elementary School of Art in Nyíregyháza.
PROGRAMME
INTERNATIONAL GUITAR FESTIVAL BALATONFÜRED – EVENING GUITAR CONCERTS IN THE ANNA GRAND HOTEL BALLROOM
GUITAR ORCHESTRA OF THE LISZT ACADEMY
Members of the orchestra:
Ádám István, Bátai Lilla, Bogdányi Roland, Gégényi Dániel, Girincsi Márton, Yang Wenqiang, Sándor Zalán, Szegedi László, Szendi Ágoston, Szigeti Bence, Korányi Eszter, Szkjárov Viktor, Oláh Vilmos
CONDUCTED BY: ERIKA CZAKÓ
PROGRAMME
June 24, 2025, 19:30
Venue: Anna Grand Hotel Ballroom, Balatonfüred, Gyógy tér 1.
On the Programme:
József Eötvös: Mohács Suite
József Eötvös: Rotenburg Suite
Venue: Anna Grand Hotel Ballroom, Balatonfüred, Gyógy tér 1.
Book your ticket for the concert by clicking this link, or purchase your festival pass here!
Wednesday, June 25, 2025
09:00 – 13:00 Public Masterclass
09:00 – 11:00 József Eötvös
11:00 – 13:00 Lorenzo Micheli
Venue: Ferencsik János Music School, Balatonfüred, Ady Endre u. 13.
19:30 – CONCERT
LORENZO MICHELI (Italy)<br>Solo recital by guitarist
Lorenzo Micheli has performed all over Europe, in more than two hundred cities across the United States and Canada, as well as in Africa, Asia, Australia, and Latin America – both as a soloist and with orchestras.
Since 2002, he has been performing worldwide in a duo with Matteo Mela – under the name “SoloDuo” – in prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall (New York), Sejong Hall (Seoul), the Hall of Columns (Kyiv), and the Konzerthaus (Vienna). Their duo was praised by The Washington Post as “extraordinarily sensitive – nothing less than rapturous.”
His discography includes over 20 titles released by labels such as Decca, Naxos, Stradivarius, Pomegranate, Soundset, and Evidence. Notable recordings include works by Dionisio Aguado; the Quartets, op. 19 by François de Fossa; Sonatas by Viennese composer Ferdinand Rebay; a CD of 17th-century Italian music for baroque guitar, archlute, and theorbo; Arias and Cantatas by Alessandro Scarlatti; the complete guitar concertos and the 24 Preludes and Fugues for two guitars by Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco; a double CD of chamber masterpieces by Mauro Giuliani; the complete guitar works of Miguel Llobet; Antoine de Lhoyer’s Duos Concertants; three anthologies of music for two guitars (Noesis, Solaria, and Metamorphoses); and the albums Morning in Iowa (with David Knopfler) and Autumn of the Soul.
In 2019, Beethoven for Two, featuring a selection of Beethoven’s sonatas for two guitars in Micheli’s own arrangement, was released by Decca Records. SoloDuo’s latest recording – 12 Sonatas by Domenico Scarlatti – was released in 2024 by the French label Evidence.
Lorenzo Micheli studied Greek and Latin literature at the University of Milan. From 2005 to 2014, he taught guitar at the Conservatoire de la Vallée d’Aoste in Italy.
He is currently guitar professor and Head of the Performance Department at the University School of Music in Lugano, Switzerland. He regularly gives lectures and masterclasses at major music institutions around the world, including USC, the University of Texas at Austin, Peabody Conservatory, Kunstuniversität Graz, Amsterdam Conservatory, San Francisco Conservatory, Shanghai Conservatory, Northwestern University, the University of Toronto, and the Conservatorio “G. Verdi” in Milan.
His further teaching commitments include annual residencies at the University of Colorado Boulder and Columbus State University in Columbus, Georgia. He has also served as guest faculty at the Universidad Pablo de Olavide in Seville, Spain; the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, Finland; and the Conservatorio “A. Boito” in Parma, Italy.
Lorenzo Micheli uses D’Addario strings.
PROGRAMME
INTERNATIONAL GUITAR FESTIVAL BALATONFÜRED – EVENING GUITAR CONCERTS AT VASZARY GALLERY
LORENZO MICHELI
(Italy), solo recital by guitarist – Nachtmusik
PROGRAMME
June 25, 2025, 19:30
Venue: Vaszary Gallery, Balatonfüred, Honvéd u. 2-4.
On the Programme:
Franz Schubert: *Der Tod und das Mädchen*
(Arranged by Ferdinand Rebay)
Ferdinand Rebay: *Variationen über das Brahms’sche “Wiegenlied”*
Claude Debussy: *Minstrels*
(Arranged by Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco)
Anton Diabelli: *Two Fugues, Op. 46*
– I. Fugue in A minor
– II. Fugue in A major
Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco: *Caprichos de Goya, Op. 195*
– XXII. Volaverunt
– 1. Por qué no fue sensible
– XII. No hubo remedio
Intermission
Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco: *Caprichos de Goya, Op. 195*
– 1. Francisco Goya y Lucientes, pintor
– 2. Tal para cuál
– XIII. Quién más rendido?
Frédéric Chopin: *Prelude, Op. 28 No. 15*
(Arranged by Francisco Tárrega)
Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco: *Rondò, Op. 129*
Venue: Vaszary Gallery, Balatonfüred, Honvéd u. 2-4.
Book your ticket for the concert by clicking this link, or purchase your festival pass here!
Thursday, June 26, 2025
09:00 – 13:00 Public Masterclass
09:00 – 11:00 Lorenzo Micheli
11:00 – 13:00 József Eötvös
11:00 – 13:00 Eötvös Music Foundation grantees give a concert in honor of master Masaki Sakurai. (Hungary)
Ádám István, Áron Beri, Levente Zsolt Csonka, Laura Barkóczi, Dalma Román, Lotti Schmidt, Péter Szarka, Sándor Vági
Venue: Ferencsik János Music School, Balatonfüred, Ady Endre u. 13.
19:30 – CONCERT
JAVIER CONDE (Spain)<br>Solo recital by guitarist
JAVIER CONDE
Caceres, 25th december 1988. The young virtuoso became known as a child prodigy of the flamenco guitar. Trained from the age of four by his father, the guitarist José Antonio Conde and later with the great Maestro Andrés Batista. He began to perform when he was only six years old and has won numerous important first prizes, among them, “JÓVENES VALORES DE LA GUITARRA FLAMENCA” 1998 organised by the Peña Flamenca LOS CERNICALOS (Jerez de la Frontera), “ATENEO DE CÓRDOBA” 2002, “CIUDAD DE JAÉN” 2003, and the most prized “BORDÓN MINERO 2004” of the Festival del Cante de las Minas (La Unión (Murcia)), being the youngest performer to obtain it in the whole history of the festival.
He has collaborated with important artists such as: Andrés Batista, Manolo Sanlúcar, Víctor Monge “SERRANITO”, Gerardo Núñez, Rafael Riqueni, Enrique de Melchor or with the pr estigious film director Carlos SAURA. Also with artists of other musical genres; famous bass player John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin).
He has given concerts in: Spain, USA, China,
Canada, Brazil, Costa Rica, Cuba, Italy, France, Croatia, Czech Republic, UK, Germany, Sweden, Austria, Holland, Belgium, Hungary, Romania, Japan, Lebanon, North Africa, Switzerland, etc.
As a solo guitarist he has recorded 4 albums: “HOMAGE TO THE GREATS OF FLAMENCO GUITAR” (2000), “LIVE FROM THE LYON DANCE FESTIVAL” (2008), “20 ANDALUSIAN AND FLAMENCO THEMES” by Maestro A. BATISTA (2014) and “SABIKERANDO” (tribute to SABICAS, 2015).
He holds a degree in Flamenco Guitar from the Conservatorio Superior de Música “RAFAEL OROZCO” in Córdoba and is currently a flamenco guitar teacher at the Conservatorio Superior de Música “ROBERT SCHUMANN” in Düsseldorf (Germany). In 2018 and until today he is working with the dancer Sara Calero and the flamenco singer Gema Caballero in different shows touring different theatres in Spain and Africa. In 2020 he accompanies the master Víctor Monge “SERRANITO” as second guitar in his farewell tour of the stages travelling all over Spain and Europe. In 2022 he became the first guitarist of the Ballet Flamenco de Andalucía, which belongs to the Junta de Andalucía and is based in Seville. In 2023 he participates as solo guitarist
with the Compañía Nacional de Danza in the work “A tu vera” by the dancer Joaquín de Luz, director of the company, and co-director of the flamenco dancer Sara Calero.
PROGRAMME
INTERNATIONAL GUITAR FESTIVAL BALATONFÜRED – EVENING GUITAR CONCERTS AT VASZARY GALLERY
JAVIER CONDE
(Spain), guitarist
PROGRAMME
June 26, 2025, 19:30
Venue: Vaszary Gallery, Balatonfüred, Honvéd u. 2-4.
On the Programme:
FLAMENCO EVENING
Venue: Vaszary Gallery, Balatonfüred, Honvéd u. 2-4.
Book your tickets for the concert by clicking this link, or purchase your festival pass here!
Friday, June 27, 2025
09:00 – 13:00 Public Masterclass
09:00 – 11:00 József Eötvös
11:00 – 13:00 FLAMENCO Workshop with Javier Conde
Venue: Ferencsik János Music School, Balatonfüred, Ady Endre u. 13.
19:30 – CONCERT
ANIELLO DESIDERIO (Italy)<br>Solo recital by guitarist
Aniello Desiderio
At the age of eight, Aniello Desiderio performed in public for the first time, displaying such outstanding gifts that music critics started to speak of him as an “enfant prodige”, “wunderkind”, “a genius”, “the Orpheus of the guitar”, “a guitarist of the century”, and “il Fenomeno”.
He quickly established himself as a concert artist with a distinct voice when he won 18 first place International Awards in both national and international competitions. Notable among them are 1st Prize and Special Prize for the best interpretation of South American music at the International Guitar Competition in Havana, Cuba (1988); “Neapolitan of the Year” Award in Italy (1988); 1st Prize and Special Prize of the best interpretation of Tarrega’s music at the
International Francisco Tarrega Competition, Benicasim, Spain (1992), and 1st Prize at the International “Guerrero” Competition, Madrid, Spain (1994).
He performs regularly as a recitalist in North and South Americas, Europe, Asia, and Africa, in the most important theaters of the world including Carnegie Hall, Tchaikovsky Concert Hall in Moscow, Palau de La Musica, Mozarteum, Munich Philarmonie, Koelner Philarmonie, Alte Opera, Tonhalle, Teatro delle Palme, Radio France, Die Gloke, Istanbul Philharmonic, Berlin Philarmonie, Opera House Wien, and Concertgebouw Amsterdam.
Frequent soloist with orchestras, his recent appearances include performances with the Oregon Symphony (USA), Pro Musica Columbus (OH, USA), Bavarian Chamber Orchestra and Romulo Larrea (Bandoneon) Tango con Passion (Germany), Zagreb Symphony, Istanbul State Symphony Orchestra (Turkey), RSO Berliner, Deutche Kammerphilarmonie, Alessandro Scarlatti, I Pomeriggi Musicali, Bach Collegium, Wiener Kammerorchester, and Kremerata Baltica with Gidon Kremer, as well as an invitation by legendary violinist and conductor Salvatore Accardo to the “Settimane di Musica Internazionali” in Naples, Italy, where he performed with Moscow Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra lead by Vladimir Spivakov.
He received the “Artist in Residence Award 1999” from the German Radio DLF at Musikfest Bremen together with Gidon Kremer. The same year, the German Television BR/TV produced a music documentary and portrait of Mr. Desiderio in Naples which was broadcast throughout Europe.
He was invited to the 70th birthday Gala of Maestro Lorin Maazel by the Bavarian Radio and Television station. The world famous painter Ernst Fuchs invited him to perform at his Museum-Villa in Wien and in 2010, he performed the “Concerto Madrigal” by Juaquin Rodrigo with the legendary classical guitarist Angel Romero.
An avid chamber music with multiple ongoing projects for decades, his guitar duo project with renowned soloist Zoran Dukic, often dubbed as “From A to Z” Duo in the USA, has been a favorite of numerous European festivals since early 1990s and frequently reinvited to perform at major international venues including Palau de la Musica in Barcelona Spain.
Together with his brothers Gennaro and Gaetano Desiderio, and other famous Neapolitan musicians, he founded the group Passione Napoletana, performing the highly emotional music of his home town Naples: “Serenate, Tanghi, Danze, Canzoni e Tarantelle Napoletane.”
In fall of 2009, he created his latest recording project: “Quartetto Furioso” with violinist Gennaro Desiderio, pianist Gaetano Desiderio and percussionist Salvatore Minale playing a program consisting of Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons” and Piazzolla’s “Four Seasons of Buenos Aires” and realized the production of a CD of this project for the famous German label Termidor, which includes singer Sabine Mayer and GrammyⓇ Awards winner Cuban-American alto saxophonist, clarinetist and composer Paquito D’ Rivera.
He was the co-founder together with Jurgen Nimbler of “World Guitar Ensemble” which featured a roster of internationally acclaimed and sought after classical guitarists including Zoran Dukic, David Tanenbaum, Thomas Muller Pering, Costas Cotsiolis, Gyan Riley, Olaf Van Gonnissen, Laura Young, Peppino D’Agostino, Duo Kaltchev, and Pablo Marquez.
Between 2018 and 2019, he was the Ambassador of Eurostrings (aka European Guitar Festivals collaborative) featuring 20 guitar festivals all around Europe where he played recitals and gave masterclasses to the winners of all 20 competitions. In addition, he gave the european premiere of “The Walls” by Sergio Assad for solo guitar and guitar orchestra. The piece was performed in 2021 by Yo-Yo Ma in a version rearranged by Sergio Assad for Solo Cello and guitars featuring the most famous guitar players in the world including GrammyⓇ awards winner David Russell.
He has recorded for Deutsche Grammophon, Frame, Waku Music, Koch-Universal, Adoro Records, Brilliant Classic, Accelerando Music Production, and since 2018 he is recording for GuitarCoop label.
A champion of new music and often referred to as the musician of musicians, he has inspired renowned guitarist John McLaughlin to chose him for the european premier of his Concerto “Thieves and Poets”. Other composers who have written new works for him include Roland Dyens, Stephen Goss, Dale Kavanagh, Carlo Domeniconi, Simone Iannarelli, the late Angelo Gilardino and Georg Schimtz (director of Koblenz Festival and Honorary Professor at Mainz University, Germany).
In high demand as a teacher, he was the concert artist and professor in residence from 2004 to 2012 at the International Guitar Academy in Koblenz (Germany) and from 2012 the guitar professor at University of music at S. Giacomantonio of Cosenza and Gesualdo da Venosa of Potenza in Italy. For two years in a row he was invited to give master classes at Internationale SommerAkademie Universitat Mozarteum (Salzburg, Austria).
His students are today’s brightest and most promising emerging concert artists of the new generation all around the world as well as often winners of the most prestigious guitar competitions in the world.
Mr. Desiderio graduated with honors from the Conservatory of Music in Alessandria, Italy in 1992. He is currently the professor of guitar at University of Music at Domenico Cimarosa of Avellino (Italy). He is the worldwide Artist Ambassador for D’Addario Strings.
PROGRAMME
INTERNATIONAL GUITAR FESTIVAL BALATONFÜRED – EVENING GUITAR CONCERTS AT VASZARY GALLERY
ANIELLO DESIDERIO
(Italy), guitarist
PROGRAMME
June 26, 2025, 19:30
Venue: Vaszary Gallery, Balatonfüred, Honvéd u. 2-4.
On the Programme:
Federico Moreno Torroba: *Burgalesa*
Federico Moreno Torroba: *Suite Castellana*
– Fandanguillo
– Arada
– Danza
Enrique Granados: *Danza Española No. 5*
Joaquim Malats: *Serenata Española*
Leo Brouwer: *Rito de los Orishas*
– Exordium – Conjuro
– Danza de las diosas negras
Intermission
Manuel María Ponce: *Variations sur “Folia de España” et Fugue*
Stephen Goss: *Verismo*
- Intermezzo, *Manon Lescaut* (Puccini)
- Intermezzo, *Cavalleria Rusticana* (Mascagni)
- Quando me’n vo’, *La Bohème* (Puccini)
- Brindisi, *La Traviata* (Verdi) & Valser, *Il Tabarro* (Puccini)
- Che gelida manina, *La Bohème* (Puccini)
- Figlia, *Rigoletto* (Verdi)
- Largo al factotum, *Il barbiere di Siviglia* (Rossini)
Venue: Vaszary Gallery, Balatonfüred, Honvéd u. 2-4.
Book your tickets for the concert by clicking this link, or purchase your festival pass here!
Saturday, June 28, 2025
09:00 – 13:00 Public Masterclass with Aniello Desiderio
Venue: Ferencsik János Music School, Balatonfüred, Ady Endre u. 13.
19:30 – CONCERT
SIQUEIRA LIMA GUITAR DUO (Uruguay, Brazil)<br>Concert
Duo Siqueira Lima is one of the most prestigious chamber ensembles having won the Profissionais da Música Award 2015 in Brazil and the International Press Award 2014 in the United States.
Their work features music of the classical repertoire to popular music of Latin America.Siqueira Lima guitar duo is formed by Cecilia Siqueira, born in Uruguay, and Fernando de Lima from Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Cecilia and Fernando are recognized for their technical and interpretive virtuosity as well as for their daring and original arrangements for two guitars.
Since 2003, they have toured the world performing in major European capitals, many cities in North America as well as sojourns to Africa and Russia. They are favorites throughout the major music centers in Latin America and in the prestigious halls in Lincoln Center (New York), New World Center (Miami) and Concertgebouw (Amsterdam) among others. International Press Award 2014 in the United States. Their work features music of the classical repertoire to popular music of Latin America.
PROGRAMME
INTERNATIONAL GUITAR FESTIVAL BALATONFÜRED – EVENING GUITAR CONCERTS AT VASZARY GALLERY
SIQUEIRA LIMA GUITAR DUO
(Uruguay, Brazil)
PROGRAMME
June 28, 2025, 19:30
Venue: Vaszary Gallery, Balatonfüred, Honvéd u. 2-4.
On the Programme:
H. Villa-Lobos: *Bachianas Brasileiras No. 4*:
*– Aria (Cantiga)*
*– Dança (Miudinho)*
M. Ravel: *Prelude* (from *Le Tombeau de Couperin*)*
Paulo Bellinati: *Chacona**
C. Debussy: *Arabesque No. 1*
Ernesto Halffter: *Danza de la Gitana*
Antonio Carlos Jobim: *Amparo*
Hermeto Pascoal: *Bebê*
(arr. Assad / Siqueira Lima)
Astor Piazzolla: *Tango Suite*
*– Andante*
*– Allegro*
Sergio Assad: *Ouro Preto**
Marco Pereira: *Curupira**
Dominguinhos: *Lamento Sertanejo / Nilopolitano*
* Arrangements by Fernando de Lima
** Dedicated to Duo Siqueira Lima
Venue: Vaszary Gallery, Balatonfüred, Honvéd u. 2-4.
Book your tickets for the concert by clicking this link, or purchase your festival pass here!
We reserve the right to change the programme.
PARTNERS
