Életrajz
Composer, bassoonist, and conductor Zoltán
Kovács began his musical studies at the age of
seven. He first studied piano, later choosing
the bassoon as an orchestral instrument. He
continued his studies in both subjects at
the Béla Bartók Secondary Music School in
Budapest and then at Liszt Academy of Music.
His composition teachers included Miklós
Kocsár, Emil Petrovics, Sándor Balassa, József
Soproni, János Vajda, and Miklós Csemiczky.
He received his degree in composition in 1993
with his graduation composition entitled Violin
Concerto, which was performed by his wife-tobe Ágnes Soltész and the Hungarian State Opera Orchestra conducted by
János Kovács. In 1991, he won the audition for the position of first bassoon in
the Hungarian State Opera Orchestra. His active performing activity to this
day has had a significant influence on his composing career. As a result of
his frequent conducting posts, he also undertook a postgraduate course in
conducting (from 2002 to 2009) at the Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest.
As a conductor, he mainly conducts his own compositions and other
contemporary classical works. Since 2013, he has been a full member of the
Hungarian Academy of Arts, where he is active as a composer and conductor.
He has won several prizes, including: the József Kincses Scholarship (1991);
the Hungarian Radio Award (for his first orchestral work: Accompaniment Music,
1992); the Kodály Scholarship (1993); the Artisjus Performer Prize (2007);
the Benedek Istvánffy Prize (2008); the Erkel Prize (2009), and the Bartók–
Pásztory Award (2021).
CANTATAS, ORATORIC WORKS
Moldavian Cantata (1999), S, symph. orch. Lib: Folk Texts
Amor Sanctus (2003), T, SATB, symph. orch. Lib: Győző Csorba, Nicetas
Eighth Tale – Cantata (2008), narr., pno., str. orch. Lib: Albert Wass
Requiem choralis (2017), SATB, str. orch., perc.
Missa Pannonica (2018), S, MS, T, B, SATB, symph. orch.
CONCERTOS
Violin Concerto (1993), vl., symph. orch.
Bassoon Concerto, No. 1 (1995), bs., symph. orch.
Dream Dances (1998), cl., str. orch. Pub: Akkord
Double Concerto for Trumpet, Trombone, and Orchestra (2006)
SR: HCD 32676
Bassoon Concerto, No. 2 (2012), bs., symph. orch.
ORCHESTRAL WORKS
Accompaniment Music (1987), S, symph. orch
Adagietto (1994), str. orch.
Vae Victis (1998), symph. orch.
Symphony, No. 1 (2001), symph. orch.
Szeszélyes Szerenád/Capricious Serenade (2004), str. orch.
Symphony, No. 2 – Based on Poems by Endre Ady (2010), symph. orch.
Pictures from Taormina – Symphonic Poem Based on Tivadar Csontváry
Kosztka’s Paintings (2015).
Musica di Maggio (2017), str. orch.
CHORAL WORKS
I’m Waiting for You (1988), female chr. Lib: Attila József
The Knock-Kneed Lad (1994), SATB Lib: Sándor Petőfi
Chinese Poems (1996), female chr.
Come to Me (2008), female chr. Lib: Folk Texts Pub: Edition FAM
I Went to the Forest (2012), children’s chr. Lib: Sándor Kányádi Pub: Kontrapunkt
Ave Maria (2008), SATB Pub: Kontrapunkt
Give Me Silence (2017), SATB
VOCAL WORKS
Three Songs for Attila József’s Poems (1992), Bar, pno.
Dsida Songs (2017), MS, pno. Lib: Jenő Dsida
CHAMBER WORKS
Flute Quintet (1995), fl., str. Pub: Akkord
Capriccio Brasiliano for Trumpet and Piano (2002) Pub: Editions BIM
Knights of the Round Table (2003), 11 vlc., db. SR: HCD 32108
Sonatina for Viola and Piano (2006)
Dream Dances, No. 2 (2007), ob., harp
Dream Dances, No. 3 (2009), cl. quintet SR: HCD 32658
Folk Song Reminiscences (2014), str. quartet
Elegy and Tango (2015), cl., pno.
Rhapsody (2017), sax., pno. SR: ISRC HU AK5 1900001
Árpád Tóth Reminiscences (2019), picc., pno.
Musica Antiqua (2020), pno. trio
SOLO WORKS
Solo Sonata for Violin (1986)
Spagna, Moldavia, Russia (2009), bs.
