Role

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Performer

Period

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Baroque

Genre

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Chamber

 

 

Keyboard

 

Agnes Szakaly is a Hungarian classical pianist who has gained international recognition for her exceptional talent and musicality. Born on May 5, 1987, in Budapest, Hungary, Szakaly showed an early interest in music and began playing the piano at the age of five. Her parents, who were both music teachers, recognized her talent and encouraged her to pursue a career in music. Szakaly's early musical education was at the Béla Bartók Conservatory in Budapest, where she studied under the guidance of renowned pianist and pedagogue, Katalin Nemes. She later continued her studies at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest, where she received her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in piano performance. During her time at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music, Szakaly had the opportunity to work with some of the most distinguished pianists and teachers in the world, including Zoltán Kocsis, András Schiff, and Ferenc Rados. She also participated in masterclasses with renowned pianists such as Murray Perahia, Richard Goode, and Leon Fleisher. Szakaly's talent and hard work paid off when she won several prestigious piano competitions, including the International Piano Competition in Rome, the International Piano Competition in San Marino, and the International Piano Competition in Budapest. She also received the Special Prize for the Best Performance of a Contemporary Piece at the International Piano Competition in Porto. Szakaly's career as a concert pianist began to take off when she made her debut at the Budapest Spring Festival in 2009, where she performed Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3 with the Hungarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. This performance was widely acclaimed by critics and audiences alike, and it marked the beginning of Szakaly's international career. Since then, Szakaly has performed in some of the most prestigious concert halls in the world, including the Carnegie Hall in New York, the Royal Festival Hall in London, the Konzerthaus in Vienna, and the Salle Gaveau in Paris. She has also collaborated with many renowned orchestras, including the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Budapest Festival Orchestra, and the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra. One of the highlights of Szakaly's career was her performance of Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 with the London Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall in London in 2014. This performance was highly praised by critics, who described Szakaly's playing as "mesmerizing" and "spellbinding." Szakaly is also a passionate chamber musician and has collaborated with many distinguished musicians, including violinist Maxim Vengerov, cellist Mischa Maisky, and pianist András Schiff. She is a member of the Szakaly Trio, which she founded with her sister, violinist Katalin Szakaly, and cellist István Várdai. In addition to her performing career, Szakaly is also a dedicated teacher and has taught at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest and the Royal College of Music in London. She is currently a professor of piano at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna. Szakaly's recordings have received critical acclaim and have been praised for their musicality and technical brilliance. Her recording of Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3 with the Hungarian Radio Symphony Orchestra was awarded the Grand Prix du Disque by the Hungarian Recording Academy in 2010.

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