The International Summer Academy for Young Musicians is celebrating its 25th anniversary in Debrecen with commemorative events, concerts, and exhibitions. The milestone was marked by the planting of an apple tree by the academy’s founders, professors, and students.
Artistic director Judit Váradi presented a nearly 300-page anniversary book, Sounds of a Quarter Century, documenting the academy’s history, while a photo exhibition featuring 70 images highlighted its first 25 years. Founding members also shared memories during a roundtable discussion before the long-running Music Evenings in the Big Forest concert series officially resumed.
In memory of Tamás Vásáry
The opening concert paid tribute to the late world-renowned pianist and conductor Tamás Vásáry, the founding conductor of the Kodály Zoltán World Youth Orchestra. The audience watched a recording of his 2018 concert at Debrecen’s Big Reformed Church, captured by Debrecen Television and screened in the Liszt Hall of the University of Debrecen’s Faculty of Music.
Váradi also reflected on Vásáry’s legacy, recalling their collaboration and emphasizing that the 2018 performance was the final piano recital he gave in his hometown of Debrecen. She noted that the emotional documentary, in which Vásáry recounted his life with characteristic humor, left the audience sitting in silence even after the credits had rolled.
Strings and saxophone gala
The concert series continued with performances by violinist Mária Zs. Szabó, cellist Ildikó Szabó (Germany), saxophonist Levente Puskás, pianist Judit Váradi, and Japanese pianist Souhei Yamagami.
Longtime chamber music partners Puskás and Váradi presented fresh arrangements of Edvard Grieg’s Violin Sonata in C minor and Zoltán Kodály’s Adagio, adapting both works for saxophone.
Founding academy member Mária Zs. Szabó recalled the academy’s beginnings and praised its enduring popularity, while cellist Ildikó Szabó highlighted the importance of passing musical knowledge from teacher to student and supporting the next generation of talented musicians.
Chamber music and percussion in the spotlight
The following Music Evenings in the Big Forest concert focused on chamber music and percussion, featuring an international lineup of performers from Hungary, Serbia, Italy, Germany, and the United Kingdom, alongside participants in the academy’s percussion masterclass and the SONUS Percussion Ensemble. The audience rewarded the performances with enthusiastic standing ovations, underscoring the continuing success of the academy’s anniversary celebrations.
