Biography
Csaba Kiraly (1965) graduated from the Franz Liszt Academy of Music, Budapest in 1989 (organ) and 1990 (piano). During his student years he
won first prize in all national competitions organized for his age group. He was also the first prize winner at international piano competitions
in Cagliari 1996 (Italy) and in New Orleans 1997 (USA). Since his student years he has given over a thousand concerts both as pianist and
organist. Beyond his many recitals in Hungary, he has had concert engagements in nearly all European countries, and has performed in the
United States, Canada, Japan, South Korea, China, Egypt and India. His repertoire covers a wide range of styles from Baroque to contemporary
music. Besides performing works by Bach, Beethoven, Liszt and Bartók, Dr. Király regularly programs new music in his concerts. In addition,
improvisation constitutes a major element of his musicianship. He learned the basics of improvising from his teacher Mária Apagyi while a
student of the Artistic Workshop in Komlo, Hungary. He therefore approaches music as a composer, as evidenced by his numerous piano
arrangements. He has also made a significant number of organ transcriptions of orchestral and choral works, which he often plays not only in
Hungary, but in countries from Western Europe to Japan, China, South Korea and the United States. Csaba Király is drawn to large and
challenging creative projects. On numerous occasions he has given concert cycles of the complete organ works of Liszt and Bach, the complete
piano sonatas of Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert, and the complete piano works of Bela Bartok, as well as a significant portion of the piano
works of Franz Liszt. His piano-organ CD of Liszt: B-A-C-H Prelude and Fugue, B-A-C-H Fantasia and Fugue, and “Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen,
Zagen” Variations was awarded “Classic CD of the Year 2001” in Hungary (Gramofon-prize). In 2003 he was awarded the Liszt Ferenc prize for
his artistic activity. In 2005 he established the First Pécs International Piano Competition in memory of Liszt Ferenc, serving as one of the jury
members. In 2004 he was elected secretary-general, in 2013 president, of the Liszt Ferenc Society in Pecs. As a piano teacher he taught for
several years at the Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest. Between 1997 and 1998 he was a guest organ teacher at the Taegu-Hyosung
University in South Korea. From 2014 to 2017 he served as the director of the Bela Bartok Memorial House in Budapest. Since 2002 he has been
the head of the Piano Department in the Institute of Music of the Musical and Visual Art Faculty at the University of Pecs., where he as
professor teaches piano and organ. Beside the activity of teaching he has been working on his own research project to create the largest
keyboard instrument of its kind in the world. Information about the premier concert will be released in early 2023.
Biography (long version)
Csaba Kiraly was born at Komlo in 1965. He was six when he started learning the piano under Maria Apagyi. At the age of twelve he began to
learn the organ under Istvan Lantos. From 1981 his studies were continued at the "Bela Bartok" Secondary Music School in Budapest with
Katalin Halmagyi, and in 1983 he gained admission to the Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music, Budapest. His professors were Zoltan Kocsis,
Sandor Falvai, piano; Ferenc Gergely, organ. He received his performer's diploma in 1989 for organ, and in 1990 for piano.
During his student years he won first prize in all national competitions organized for his age group: 1980 - National Piano Competition for
Music Schools (Nyiregyhaza); 1982 - National Piano Competition for Secondary Music Schools (Bekestarhos); 1990 - Erno Dohnanyi National
Piano Competition (Academy of Music Budapest). In the meantime in 1985 he - won the first prize in the National Piano Competition of the
Hungarian Radio, being one of the youngest competitors, as a result of which he became known throughout the country. After several years
teaching and concert giving he undertook to play in competitions again, and was first prize winner at the "Ennio Porrino" International Piano
Competition in Cagliari 1996 (Italy), and the New Orleans International Piano Competition 1997 (USA).
Since his student years he has given concerts regularly both as pianist and organist and his exceptional talents have made him a popular young
artist. He possesses unbelievably fast learning ability and manual skills, which border the limits of what is possible. His musical inspiration has
enabled him to overcome any external difficulties, and his susceptibility towards rarities and specialties means he provides his audience with
an individual experience under all circumstances. He is familiar with all the fields of keyboard playing. Beside his solo recitals he often plays
chamber music, or appears as continuo or orchestral player. He has appeared in concerts with about thirty famous orchestras and conductors.
At the same time he also plays as a member of the „Aperto Trio”. His fondness for great variety is a constitutional characteristic, which has
helped him to avoid one of the biggest threats to the successful artist, that of becoming routine and narrow. As a result he has now come closer
to the conductor’s profession. Beyond his recitals at home, he has had concert engagements in nearly all European countries, winning great
success in Japan, United States, Canada, South Korea, Egypt and India. As a returning guest artist he has taken part in numerous national and
international festivals such as the Summer Music Festival in Pecs; the Bartok Seminar Szombathely; the „Music of our Age” Festival Budapest;
the Jewish Summer Festival Budapest; the Spring Festival in Budapest, Pecs and Szombathely; the Salzburger Festspiele; the ISCM World Music
Days Stockholm; the Helsinki Biennale; the Frankfurter Orgeltage; the Rheindorfer Orgelkonzerte (Lustenau); Musica Danubiana Ljubljana;
Musik Vredenburg (Utrecht); MittelFest (Cividale); Festa Musica Pro (Assisi, Orvieto); "Festival Lombardia Europa Musica" (Crema, Seregno);
the International Piano Series - College of Charleston, SC, Stan Hywet Hall Akron, OH; Concertgebouw, the Holland Festival and more…
His repertoire covers a wide range from the Baroque to contemporary music. Besides performing works by Bach, Beethoven, Liszt and Bartok,
performing the latest modern compositions plays a prominent role in his concert programmes. His name is linked with the Hungarian
premieres of piano concertos by Lutoslawski and Ligeti. In 1993 he was awarded a diploma for distinction in playing Hungarian contemporary
music (Artisjus prize). He played the UK premiere of the Gy. Kurtag Double Concerto in London, and participated with famous orchestras in
the first performances of the Kurtag: „What is the Word?” in several countries.
A characteristic aspect of his repertoire is improvisation. Since 1975 he has obtained the basic knowledge of improvising from his teacher Maria
Apagyi, then as an active student of the Artistic Workshop in Komlo, leaded by her, founded in 1977. The fine artist Ferenc Lantos also helped a
lot in this "workshop project".
Apart from free improvisation he mostly improvises himself – where possible – the cadences in concertos. He approaches music as a composer,
which is proved by his numerous arrangements. He has made a significant number of organ transcriptions of orchestral and choral works,
which he often plays not only in Hungary, but in countries from Western Europe to Japan and the United States (e.g. Liszt: Danse Macabre, Les
preludes, Hungarian Coronation Mass; Bach: Brandenburg Concertos Nr. 2, 3, 4; Mahler: Symphonies Nr. 1, 8; Beethoven: Symphony Nr. 9;
Schumann: First Symphony; Franck: Symphony D minor; Verdi: Requiem; Mendelssohn: Symphony Nr. 4; Midsummer Nights Dream).
Csaba Kiraly is attracted towards great missions and challenges, which gives him free energy for his creative work. Several times he has
performed the complete Bach Wohltemperiertes Clavier, Liszt’s complete organ works (1998-2000 Matthias Church, Buda Castle), Bach’s
complete organ works (2000 Dunaharaszti; 2001-2002 Deak ter Lutheran Church, Budapest, Mozart's, Beethoven's and Schubert's complete
piano sonatas (2006-2009 Pecs, Dom Museum, House of Arts and Literature), Bartok’s complete piano works (2009-2010 Bartok Memorial
House, Budapest). Since 2001 he has been undertaking a huge series of one hundred concerts, lasting some years, of the complete piano music
of Liszt. His piano-organ CD of Liszt: B-A-C-H Prelude and Fugue, B-A-C-H Fantasia and Fugue, „Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen” Variations
was awarded „Classic CD of the Year 2001” in Hungary (Gramophone-prize).
In 2003 he has been awarded a Liszt Ferenc prize for his artistic activity. In 2004 he started series of benefit organ concerts for the restoration of
the big organ of the Cathedral in Pécs (Hungary). In 2005 he established the First Pécs International Piano Competition in memory of Liszt
Ferenc, in which he was one of the jury members. In 2005 he has been elected to be the Secretary-general of the Hungarian Liszt Ferenc Society,
and from 2013 he is the president of the Liszt Society.
In 2007 He was jury member of two further piano competitions: 2nd International Piano Competition in memory of Liszt Ferenc in Pecs,
International Beethoven Piano Competition in Arad (Romania).
Since 1995 he has been teaching piano at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest, and regularly gives international master classes in
Hungary, Netherlands, France, United States and Japan. Between 1997 and 1998 he was a guest organ teacher at the Taegu-Hyosung University
in South Korea. Since 2002 he has been an honorary teacher of the Martyn Ferenc Free School of the Arts in Pécs. Between 2004 and 2007 he was
the director of the Music Institute of the Musical and Visual Art Faculty at the University of Pécs, where he as professor teaches piano and
organ . From 2014 to 2017 he served as the director of the Béla Bartók Memorial House in Budapest.
Beside the activity of teaching he has been working on his own research project to create the largest keyboard instrument of its kind in the
world. Information about the premier concert will be released in early 2023.
Prizes, Awards
2022 - Honorary Citizen Award from the city of Komlo (Hungary)
2018 - Professor degree (University of Pecs)
2009 - Habilitation degree (University of Pecs)
2003 - Liszt Ferenc Prize
2001 - Awarded "Classic CD of the Year 2001" in Hungary (Gramophone-prize)
- Pro Urbe Award from the city of Komlo Hungary)
1997 - First Prize, New Orleans International Piano Competition (USA)
1996 - First Prize, 5th "Ennio Porrino" International Piano Competition Cagliari (Italy)
1993 - Awarded a Diploma for distinction in playing Hungarian contemporary music (Artisjus prize)
1990 - First Prize, Erno Dohnanyi National Piano Competition (Academy of Music, Budapest)
1985 - First Prize, Piano Competition of the Hungarian Radio (Budapest)
Before 1985 - First Prize winner of several national piano competitions in Hungary
