LEVENTE GYÖNGYÖSI

Studies

Levente Gyöngyösi was born in 1975 in Cluj-Napoca, Romania.

In November 1989, he moved to Hungary with his family, where he enrolled in the Bartók Conservatory, majoring in composition and piano. He studied with Professors István Fekete Győr (composition) and Katalin Schweitzer (piano). In 1999, he graduated from the Liszt Ferenc Music Academy with a diploma in composition as a student of György Orbán.

Career

He achieved his first big success—receiving 2nd prize in 2000 at the State Opera House Millenium Opera Competition—with Stork-Kalif (Gólyakalifa), an opera in 2 Acts based on the novel by Mihály Babits; libretto by Zsófia Balla.

On May 28, 2005 the State Opera House produced Stork-Kalif, conducted by György Vashegyi and directed by Mária Harangi. The first performance was followed by six successful sold-out ones.

As adjunct lecturer from 2002 to 2010 at the Ferenc Liszt Music Academy, he taught music score reading, instrumentation, and composition.

Since 1999, he has been a member of the György Vashegyi-led Orfeo Orchestra, playing baroque and classical music mainly on ancient instruments.

Since 2010, he has been a juror of national and international choir competitions.

In 2018, he became resident composer of the Dohnányi Orchestra Budafok.

Professional activities in Hungary

He regularly composes new pieces for leading Hungarian orchestras and choirs, such as Dohnányi Orchestra Budafok, Budapest Festival Orchestra, Amadinda Percussion Group, Concerto Budapest, Nyíregyháza Cantemus Choir Group, and the Hungarian Radio Choir.

His 1st symphony was performed by Dohnányi Orchestra Budafok, the 3rd by the Budapest Festival Orchestra. At the request of the Debrecen Béla Bartók Choir Competition, he composed the Missa Vanitas Vanitatum oratorio, and St. Luke’s Passion for which he was commissioned to compose by the Erdődy chamber orchestra.

In 2017, at the Miskolc Opera Festival, the Budafok Dohnányi Orchestra performed the concert version of his opera-musical, Master and Margarita, which is based on Mikhail Bulgakov’s novel and Szabolcs Várady’s libretto. In February 2020, the newly-built Eiffel Art studios will host the first night of a full-stage performance as State Opera House’s production conducted by Gábor Hollerung.