Gábor Farkas

Gábor Farkas (1981) began his music studies at the age of five and holds an MA and DLA degree in piano performance and teaching from Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music, Budapest. After the Liszt Academy he continued his studies by William Grant Naboré at the International Piano Academy Lake Como, in Italy.

His special talent is appreciated internationally: In 2009, he won the International Liszt Piano Competition in Weimar and the Audience's Prize and an award for best performance of Haydn Sonata, in 2003 he received the first prize of the "Hungarian National Radio's Piano Competition", in 2001 he received 3rd prize in the International Liszt Piano Competition in Budapest, and in 2000 he was the winner of the "Bartók Béla Piano prize" in Baden bei Wien. In May 2009 he received the "Gundel Art Prize", in November 2008 he was given the "Junior Prima" prize; and in March 2008 he was awarded a special state prize "The best young artist of the year". On the 15th March 2012 he got the Franz Liszt Award (the highest Hungarian State Award for artists).

His uplifting performances have enchanted audiences throughout Europe and the world. During recent years he has performed in the most famous concert halls around the world: BOZAR in Brussels, Auditorio National de Musica in Madrid, Teatro la Fenice in Venice, Chatelet in Paris, NCPA Concert Hall in Beijing, Oriental Arts Center in Shanghai, Seoul Art Center in Seoul, Tokyo Bunka Kaikan in Tokyo and the Palace of Arts in Budapest. He was invited to prestigious international festivals, such as the "Budapest Spring Festival", the "International Piano Forum", Berlin, Schumann Festival, Zwickau, Pélerinages Festival in Weimar, Thüringen Bach Festival and the "Ferenc Liszt Festival" in the Castle of Gödöllo, Hungary.

In January 2011, he was the soloist in the Official Opening Concert of the Liszt Year 2011, Zoltán Kocsis conducted the National Philharmonic Orchestra at the Palace of Arts, Budapest and he was also the soloist of the Closing Concert of the Chopin Year, in 2010 with the Sinfonia Varsovia. So far, he has worked with such internationally known conductors as Ádám Fischer , Tamás Vásáry, Olli Mustonen, Philippe Bender and George Tchitchinadze.

Gábor Farkas has attended the master courses of professors Dmitry Bashkirov, Malcolm Bilson, Fou T'song, Arie Vardi, Ferenc Rados, Péter Frankl, Rolf Dieter Arens, Jan Wijn, Brigitte Engerer and William Grant Naboré. In earlier, he received the scholarships "Pro Europe", "Annie Fischer" and "Ferenc Liszt" in Budapest; and in 2001 he won the scholarship of the "European Cultural Foundation" in Strasbourg.

His debut CD recording entitled "An evening with Liszt" was published by Warner Classics in November 2008, which won the prestigious "Grand Prix" as the best Liszt recording of the year 2009 given by the Franz Liszt International Society. His second album was a live recording of the Official Opening Concert of the Liszt Year, 2011 with Zoltán Kocsis and the Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra, also published by Warner Classics July 2011.