Hungary Archives

Conversation with János Starker (February, 2004)

Interview by Tim Janof "With his peerless technical mastery and intensely expressive playing, Janos Starker is universally recognized as one of the worlds supreme musicians." (New York Times) János Starker was born in Budapest in 1924 and began studying the cello at the age of six. By the age of eight he was coaching his first pupil, and by eleven he was performing in public. His early career took him through Budapest's Franz Liszt Academy, and on to positions of first cellist with the Budapest Opera and Philharmonic at the end of World War Two. In 1948 he emigrated to the United States where he subsequently held the posts of principal cellist with the Dallas Symphony, Metropolitan Opera of New York, and the Chicago Symphony under Fritz Reiner. In 1956 [...]

By Tim Janof|2020-03-10T15:02:17-04:00August 5th, 2019|Categories: Internet Cello Society Archive, Interviews|Tags: controversy, articulation, Starker, soloist, Hungary, Tim Janoff, Concerto, Internet Cello Society, Leonard Rose, Janos Starker, ICS, repertoire, internment camp, Greenhouse|

Laszlo Varga, Cellist for the New York Philharmonic, is Dead at 89

Laszlo Varga, Cellist for the New York Philharmonic, is Dead at 89 by Bruce Weber and Jacob Burg Reposted from the Herald-Tribune Laszlo Varga, a Hungarian-born musician and teacher who escaped a Nazi work camp to become principal cellist for the New York Philharmonic under the batons of Dimitri Mitropoulos and Leonard Bernstein, died on Dec. 11 at his home in Sarasota, Fla. He was 89. He died several days after a fall had precipitated a stroke, his son Michael said. In a long career, Mr. Varga applied his virtuosic skills to solo performances, orchestral playing and ensemble work. As a young man he lost his position as first-chair cellist of the Budapest Symphony in a purge of Jews. He came to the United States after World War II as a member [...]

By Blogmaster|2018-09-24T22:26:39-04:00January 10th, 2015|Categories: Artistic Vision, Chamber Music, Orchestra, Performance|Tags: World War II, Hungary, CelloBlog, Kent Nagano, Laszlo Varga, Nazi, Leonard Rose, cellobello|

New England Conservatory Cellist Taeguk Mun Wins Pablo Casals International Cello Competition

Reprinted from Xinhuanet.com Taeguk Mun BUDAPEST, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) — Twenty years old cellist Taeguk Mun of South Korea, winner of the Pablo Casals International Cello Competition was presented with his award in Budapest on Saturday as part of the 48th Budapest International Music Competition at the Hungarian Academy of Music. The presentation was combined with a concert which included performances by Mun as well as second-place finishers Ildiko Szabo of Hungary and Tomasz Daroch of Poland, and third placed Santiago Canon-Valencia of Colombia. Mun performed Schumann’s Cello Concerto in A minor, op. 129. He was accompanied by the Hungarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Janos Kovacs. Daroch played Chopin’s G-Minor Cello Sonata op. 65, with Maria Kovalszki on the piano, Szabo played […]

By Blogmaster|2017-10-30T05:10:12-04:00September 14th, 2014|Categories: Pablo Casals, Performance|Tags: Hungarian Academy of Music, Hungary, South Korea, Taeguk Mun, Pablo Casals, cello|