Artist database

This is the Artist Database of BMC, which includes information about composers, musicians, orchestras, choirs and groups that are either Hungarian or Hungarian by origin or live in Hungary, as well as information about releases recorded with them.

Vukán György


Composer

Place of Birth
Budapest
Date of Birth
1941

 
21 August 1941 Budapest - 12 August 2013 Agárd

Excellent composer and jazz pianist, one of the most versatile personalities of the Hungarian jazz scene, pioneer of the Hungarian symphonic jazz and crossover.

In 1960 – at the age of eighteen – he graduated at the piano department of the Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music. In 1964 he took a degree at the Dentist Department of the Semmelweis University, too. He’s an active dentist up to this very day. Since his childhood he’s been giving concerts, at first mostly playing classical music pieces, and in the last decades primarily as jazz pianist. In 1957 he won first prize at the Helikon Festivity (Keszthely) in piano category. From 1965 on he has won many awards at the jazz contests of the Hungarian Radio.

Between 1965 and 1980 he taught singing, composing and arrangement at the Jazz Department of the Béla Bartók Secondary School for Music, and he also wrote books on these subjects. In 1969 he won the Press Award of the Montreux Jazz Festival with Rudolf Tomsits’ quartet. From 1980 to 1990 he performed with Balázs Berkes and Imre Kőszegi as „Supertrio”. In 1985 he founded Creative Art Ensemble – he was leader, composer and conductor of the ensemble until 1991. In 1990 he founded Creative Art Trio with Balázs Berkes and Elemér Balázs – their performance at the Sevilla World Expo in 1992 was a great success. Also in 1991, he gave successful solo concerts in Japan.

In 1992 he lead the workshop of the Big Band of EBU (European Broadcasting Union), where musicians of seventeen European countries participated. The program mostly included works by Vukán. In 1996 his concert with the Ferenc Liszt Chamber Orchestra in the Netherlands was chosen to the Concert of the Year. Since 1999 he’s been steady partner of flute artist Eszter Horgas. So far they have released twelve albums together, recording transcriptions of works by Gershwin, Chopin, Bach and Bernstein, as well as opera adaptations (La bohčme, Madama Butterfly, Porgy and Bess).

In 2000 he founded the formation „Septet” with Elemér Balázs, János Egri and the Budapest Saxophone Quartet. He’s been performing in duo with Béla Szakcsi Lakatos since almost three decades. He has given concerts in almost every European country and in 1983 and 1993 he was on concert tour in the USA. He has played with such excellent artists as Philly Joe Jones, Clifford Jordan, Linda Hopkins, Anette Lowman, Frank Foster, Clarck Terry and Kenny Wheeler.

Throughout his really versatile career as composer he recorded a number of albums, composed music for more than 130 films (two of them were nominated for Oscar), but he also created an opera (Black Advent), six ballets, masses (for symphonic orchestra, choir and soloists), several concertos, eighty songs (for poems by Federico Garcia Lorca, Pablo Neruda, etc.) and 150 psalms for a capella choir. He has composed incidental music for TV- and radio plays and theatrical performances. His ballet „Derby” has been played by the Hungarian State Opera House for more than three years.

Prizes:
1970 Composers' Prize of Hungarian Record Company
1978 Béla Balázs Prize
1981 Performers' Prize of the Hungarian Radio
1990 Erkel Prize
1993 eMeRTon Prize
1996 Lyra Prize
1998 Small Cross of the Merit of the Hungarian Republic
2000 Gábor Szabó
2001 Jenő Huszka Prize
2002 Artisjus Prize
2012 Kossuth Prize
 
Title Type Year
13 Bagatelles for Clarinet and Piano Chamber Music 1995
141 Minutes from the Unfinished Sentence Film music 1974
The Cell - Magister Villon will not surrender Music for the theater 2006
The Other Man Film music 1987
Knight of the Day Film music 1987
The Routes of Hope Film music 2005
The Routes of Hope II. Film music 2008
The Witness Film music 1969
The Tigerstripe Dog Film music 2001
The Trio Film music 0
For the Rest you Already Have Prescription ... Film music 2001
The Red Post Coach Music for the theater 2003
Atlanta, Georgia Opera 1994
The Fifth Seal Film music 1976
Bagatelle Chamber Music 0
Ballada ´56 Solo voice(s), choir & orchestra 2009
Banana Peel Waltz Film music 1986
Unhappy Moon Music for the theater 2003
Star at the Stake Film music 1979
But Who Are the Lumnitzer Sisters? Film music 2005
Blow-out Film music 1977
Jungle Music for the theater 2004
Let My Beard! Film music 1975
His Code Name: Luke Film music 1977
Balint Fabian Meets God Film music 1980
Come the My Nameday Film music 1983
Gyula vitéz télen-nyáron Film music 1970
Respite Film music 1981
Smouldering Cigarette Film music 2001
Hanussen Film music 1988
The Last Chance Film music 1973
Hatchback - Five miniatures Chamber Music 1990
Hello, Doc Film music 1997
Horn Concerto - For Horn and Chamber Orchestra Concerto 2000
Gratuity - My Regards Mr. Chief doctor Film music 1979
What time is it, Mr. Vekker? Film music 1985
Three Dances Chamber Music 0
Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor Concerto 0
Piano Concerto No. III, E-minor Concerto 0
Temporary Paradise Film music 1981
Image for 4+1 bassoons Chamber Music 0
Jesus Christ´s Horoscope Film music 1988
Kakuk Marci Film music 1973
Let´s Talk About Love Film music 1979
Little Romulus Film music 1994
Outbreak Film music 1970
Selection - or the Invisible Empire of the Senses Film music 2003
Linda Film music 1983
Hungarians Film music 1978
Virtually a Virgin Film music 2008
Tangerine Moon Chamber Music 0
Reliable Gentleman Film music 1984
Witness Again Film music 1994
For Ever and A Day Chamber Music 2005
Missa ad Dominum Jesum Christum Solo voice(s), choir & orchestra 1989
N. N. The Angel of Death Film music 1970
John von Neumann Film music 1984
Seeing Naples and... Film music 1972
Honeymoons Film music 1970
Omelette Film music 1981
Prelude Chamber Music 2014
Requiem Film music 1981
Poor Avrosymov Film music 1980
Sparkling Girls Film music 1974
Beautifuls and Fools Film music 1976
Oh, Bloody Life Film music 1983
Day Before Yesterday Female choir 1982
Titánia, Titánia, avagy a dublőrök éjszakája Film music 1988
Tuba Chamber Music 2012
Journey into the Night Music for the theater 2009
Electric Train Film music 1985
Piano in the Air Film music 1976
Cop Job Film music 1985
Amuck Film music 1974
Power Cut Film music 1979
Innocent Killers Film music 1973