Now in its 24th edition, the Young Musicians’ Summer Academy has once again begun at the Faculty of Music of the University of Debrecen. The prestigious classical music program includes the highly popular “Musical Evenings in the Big Forest” concert series, hosted in the faculty’s Liszt Hall. The evening concerts featured captivating performances by the Academy’s world-renowned professors.
The series opened with a gala concert by Artem Yasynskyy, a pianist of Ukrainian origin. His mesmerizing performance delighted the audience. Living in Germany, Yasynskyy gave his first concert at the age of eight and later debuted at Carnegie Hall after winning the 2015 Cincinnati World Piano Competition.
His program included:
Domenico Scarlatti: Three Sonatas
Jehan Alain: Four Pieces
Artem Yasynskyy: Improvisatio & Etudes
Sergei Prokofiev: Sonata No.8 in B-flat major, Op.84
Yasynskyy highlighted how many talented young musicians attend the Academy, and how inspiring it is to help shape their artistic growth.
“It’s an honor to be part of this unique Academy. Opening the ‘Musical Evenings in the Big
Forest’ with my concert was a great privilege—the audience was simply fantastic,” he said.
Violin and Wind Gala – A Night of Ovations
The second concert of the series featured violin and wind instrument performances.
Performers included:
Mária Zs. Szabó – violin
Sanja Romić (Serbia) – oboe
Zsolt Szatmári – clarinet
András Kovalcsik – horn
Róbert Káip – trombone
Judit Böszörményi, Edit Richter, and Katalin Sarkady – piano
The audience responded with rapturous applause.
Pieces performed included:
Jacques Castérède: Sonatina II
Francis Poulenc: Sonata
Jörg Widmann: Air
Astor Piazzolla: Oblivion (arranged by Joe Burgstaller)
Carl Maria von Weber: Grand duo Concertante, II–III movements
César Franck: Violin Sonata in A major
Zs. Szabó Mária, a founding member of the Summer Academy, performed the Franck sonata for the first time with her longtime chamber partner Katalin Sarkady.
“It’s a beautiful, four-movement romantic piece. The Summer Academy is incredibly rich in color—amazing professors come every year from abroad. If I were young now, I would absolutely attend as a student,” said Zs. Szabó.
András Kovalcsik, Head of the Brass and Percussion Department, emphasized the importance of faculty concerts:
“This is where we show students how the techniques and ideas we teach come alive in the hands of experienced musicians.”
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Sczd3ki8xwQ
Saxophone Gala – Boundless Energy and International Flair
The Saxophone Gala was the next concert in the series, again held in the Liszt Hall, to great acclaim.
Performers:
Gerald Preinfalk (Austria) – saxophone
Levente Puskás – saxophone
Judit Váradi – piano
Levente Puskás, Artisjus Award-winning saxophonist, highlighted the Academy’s international significance:
“This is a great opportunity for students and professors to experience different musical cultures and teaching styles. Faculty concerts inspire young musicians to understand the stages of artistic growth and strive forward.”
Artistic Director Judit Váradi, the heart of the Summer Academy, said:
“We’ve managed to attract many master teachers from abroad, encouraging students to join this ever-growing community. Word of the Academy spreads worldwide. This year, in addition to applicants from the US, UK, and China, we welcomed students from Jordan, Malaysia, and Taiwan.”
The concert program featured:
Georg Philipp Telemann: Sonata in F minor
Gerald Preinfalk: Solo Piece
Fazıl Say: Suite
Takashi Yoshimatsu: Fuzzy Bird Sonata
Dmitri Shostakovich: Five Pieces for Two Violins and Piano
Astor Piazzolla: Le Grand Tango
Percussion Gala – Explosive Rhythms and Unforgettable Atmosphere
Held on a balmy summer evening, the Percussion Gala amazed the audience in the Liszt Hall with dynamic performances.
Performers:
Marc Strobel (Germany) – percussion
Students of the Academy’s percussion masterclass
The SONUS Percussion Ensemble (Artistic Director: István Szabó)
The evening featured works such as:
John Beck: Overture for Percussion Ensemble
J.S. Bach: Concerto in D minor for harpsichord, 1st movement
George Hamilton Green: Ragtime Robin
István Szabó, artistic director of SONUS, said:
“This is the only concert in the series where students and professors perform side by side. It’s a unique opportunity. The masterclasses allow them to polish technical details and try ensemble playing both in orchestras and chamber groups.”
Finale: Kodály Zoltán World Youth Orchestra to Tour
The Summer Academy concludes with a grand finale—the Kodály Zoltán World Youth Orchestra’s concert tour.
Led by conductor Zoltán Bolyky, the orchestra will perform in Debrecen, Budapest, and Vienna between July 14–16.
