who am I
In 1953 at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music Zoltan Kodaly described a many-sided demand for professionals:
"The characteristics of a good musician can be summarized as follows:
1: A well-trained ear,
2: A well-trained intelligence,
3: A well-trained heart,
4: A well-trained hand.
All four must develop together, in constant equilibrium. As soon as one lags behind or rushes ahead, there is something wrong [...] Sol-fa and the science of form and harmony together teach the first two points. To complete this teaching, a musical experience as varied as possible is indispensable; without playing chamber music and singing in choirs, nobody can become a good musician."
Grove up in such era determine one`s relation to music. In addition my mother was a piano teacher who had her degree in the formal Soviet Union. Who knows a little about the Russian attitude to music – especially teaching classical music – can imagine what I already had from my early ages.
Since we always had a pianino in our flat it cannot happen anyhow else but to „chose” first that instrument.
It was around my 4th year. At this age what can be more fascinating than „improvise” on the instrument or at least try to play what you already know: child songs, lullabies and so on. And as I learned to read at this age by knowing only some of the letters but knew few dozen of child-rhytms, I followed the same „pattern” to learn to play the piano. The love of music founded during these years. But somehow the love of piano turn to the love of oboe at my 10th age. I`ve heard it on a concert and I was amazed by its sound!
(I can tell that a lot of people were looking strange to me by choosing that instrument. Who ever heard the sound of it can imagine the ``marveling eyes``…)
During my high school years I developed my knowledge in how to play the instrument(s) and I started to play in one of the orchestras of our music high school. ( a famous one in Hungary, called St. Stephan Music High School)
And with that experience a new period begun in my life. It was just amazing to play in a group and to count on many others as feel that they count on you as well! During these years – as this was a special high school – I had the opportunity to participate in a lot of orchestral pieces and to grew up to play in a group properly.
Close to my final degree an interesting feeling started to come up: somehow I lost my interest in playing the oboe…which could have happened because in the room I practiced every day was a harp. Not in the best condition but it was gold and had a beautiful ornamentation! So. Instead of practicing oboe I rather sat down for hours to play with the harp. And I must tell this is the most peculiar instruments of all! Once you sat down and want to play you must have to wreathe your arms around it. And since that moment a special connection evolves between you and the instrument. What happened after is: I left off the oboe at my 18th age and started to play the harp. I practiced hours how to sit and place your hands properly according to Kodaly`s 4th principle. And since I “completed” all the previous ones I was ready to become a good musician – as finally I found the instrument I felt in love with!
After studying 2 years I gave a live concert at the Hungarian Radio`s Marble Room. In the same year I started to play with the Erno Dohnanyi Symphonic Orchestra. And after 4 year of studying I`ve been enrolled to the Franz Liszt Academy of Music. The dream-come-true! Where Zoltan Kodaly and Bela Bartok studied! And it was truly the fame of halls as dozens of famous musicians acquired their diploma there. And the spirit of all these talents was there. And I had the opportunity to earn my degree in such milieu…!
In honor of Kodaly I try to do my best to suit to his other principal which is: “Music belongs to everyone and is necessary for health and human development”. By “practicing” this philosophy I played in a chamber group which was formed by an already famous female composer Meskó, Ilona performing her great compositions for free to bring people closer to music.
Detailed information on my previous experiences under my profession