Faculty of Music of the University of Debrecen has scheduled to hold this traditional annual event between July 15 and 24, where participants can also sign up for performing in Zoltán Kodály World Youth Orchestra in addition to taking part in individual master courses.
Apart from individual master courses on 14 instruments and singing, Young Musicians’ Summer Academy also offers opportunities to play music in an orchestra with an instrument section of nearly 20 instruments, ranging from the harp through the bass trombone and the dulcimer to percussion instruments. Starting on July 15, Debrecen’s Faculty of Music will be welcoming young people over the age of 16 from secondary schools as well as college and university music faculties, in addition to young teachers of music who would wish to develop their skills, hone their techniques, and display their performing abilities. Last year, applications for the program were received from young music lovers representing as many as 22 different countries.
“2018 is the 18th consecutive year in which we can hold our Summer Academy. We are proud to have 28 professors from 4 countries, giving master courses of 5 to 10 days. Next to the Hungarian artists, we will be offering courses taught by guest professors from Germany, Japan, and Slovakia. We are happy to have several new names and faces among our instructors, including Slovakian cellist Jozef Lupták, Spanish saxophonist Rodrigo Perez Vila, and flutist Anett Jóföldi,” said Artistic Director of YMSA Judit Váradi.
The professors who coordinate the master courses will also give free concerts as part of the series Zenés esték a Nagyerdőn [Music Nights in Debrecen’s Big Forest] during the course of Academy, just like they did in previous years. The gifted young musicians, however, will not only learn from them but will also be able to join the rehearsals and concerts of Kodály Zoltán Ifjúsági Világzenekar. ZKWYO will be supervised by concert pianist and conductor Tamás Vásáry, Kossuth Prize awardee and holder of the titles Magyar Szent István-rend kitüntetettje [Order of Saint Stephen of Hungary] and Nemzet Művésze [Artist of the Nation]. Members of the World Youth Orchestra will start rehearsing on July 12 under the direction of assistant conductor Zoltán Bolyky.
“The World Youth Orchestra will commence a concert tour of four locations following the closing event of the Summer Academy. They will perform first in Debrecen’s Kölcsey Központ [Kölcsey Convention Center], then in Budapest, on the stage of Városmajori Szabadtéri Színpad [Városmajor Open-Air Stage]. They will participate in the concert series Klassz a parton [verbatim: Cool on the Beach, probably, a play on the word klassz, meaning “cool” and also short for “classical”] in Balatonfüred, and wind up their tour in Ljubljana, in Slovenian Philharmonic Hall with the 85-year-old Tamás Vásáry,” said Judit Váradi.
The master course on singing will be given by opera singer Éva Bátori, and a special treat for song lovers at the Summer Academy will be Kortárs Zenei Énekverseny [verbatim: Contemporary Singing Competition], which is unique in Hungary due to fact that only pieces written by contemporary composers are allowed to be performed in it. There will be three categories in the competition, which focuses exclusively on vocal music of the 20th and the 21st centuries. Contestants may also enter the competition accompanied by a chamber orchestra.
The young musicians will also have a chance to work on improving their stage appearance techniques with the help of Virág Dezső, a dance instructor and a native of Debrecen coming from the Netherlands. Ms. Dezső combines modern mime, song and instrumental music with the art of dancing in her master course, introducing the young talents into the musicality of bodily movement. Find all the necessary information on her course, on the individual instrumental practices, and on the world orchestra at the webpage ymsa.unideb.hu.
Press Office, unideb.hu
