The first graduating class of the Contemporary Popular Music BA programme at the University of Debrecen’s Institute of Popular Music concluded their studies with a spectacular final examination concert. Seventeen students performed for their degrees at the oDEon University Theatre, showcasing virtuoso instrumental and vocal skills during the programme’s first-ever graduation concert.
The event marked another important milestone for popular music education at the University of Debrecen. During Thursday evening’s concert, students were evaluated not only on their instrumental and vocal performances, but also on their stage presence, band performance, and overall artistic presentation.
The graduating class once again demonstrated the high standards they had achieved throughout previous semester-end examination concerts. Performing before a full house at the oDEon University Theatre, the students appeared confident and relaxed as they took to the stage.
Opening the event, University of Debrecen Chancellor Zoltán Bács described the launch and development of the programme as a unique success story within the university’s educational portfolio. He thanked the lecturers and university leaders whose work helped create the foundations for the programme and made the graduation concert possible.
According to Bács, the university first conceived the idea in 2017 of introducing popular music into higher education alongside its traditionally strong classical music programmes. Since then, the initiative has become a national model project, allowing the university to proudly claim the distinction of being the first Hungarian higher education institution to offer a university-level degree programme in popular music.
Péter Lakatos, Dean of the Faculty of Music, called the evening a long-awaited moment. He noted that the university had spent years preparing the programme and that it was now rewarding to see the first class reach the point of earning their diplomas.
“I had the privilege of hearing this group at every examination and following their development both as musicians and as people. I am proud of what they have achieved,” he said.
Kálmán Kapusi, Director of the Institute of Popular Music, said the programme had exceeded all expectations in its mission to train professional musicians.
“Over the past years, we have built a professional workshop dedicated to supporting popular music performance through university-level education and a state-recognised degree. This concert is the culmination of years of learning, artistic development and hard work,” he said.
Ákos Tóth, Deputy Director of the Institute and Administrative Director of the Faculty of Music, highlighted the programme’s continuing popularity. He listed several achievements of students, including study opportunities in the United States, independently released songs accompanied by music videos, and the formation of the institute’s student band.
The student band will also perform on the Main Stage of this year’s Campus Festival, opening one of Hungary’s largest summer music events.
During the concert, the graduating musicians performed songs by internationally renowned artists including Alicia Keys, Dua Lipa and Whitney Houston, as well as Hungarian stars such as Magdi Rúzsa, Gábor Presser and Zsuzsa Cserháti. The repertoire also included works by Creedence Clearwater Revival and The Darkness, alongside original compositions by the students themselves.
The evening featured a special collaboration with string musicians from the Faculty of Music, who joined the graduating performers on stage.
One of Hungary’s best-known singers, Charlie, also took part in the examination committee. He praised the students’ performances, saying they had found their own artistic voices and delivered productions of world-class quality.
Unlike traditional examinations, no final results were announced at the concert. The students had already completed individual oral and practical examinations in recent days, and the final grade for their degree will be based on the average of those results and their concert performance. The graduating musicians will be informed of their final marks at a later date.
(unideb.hu)
