Artist database

Levente Gyöngyösi was born 1975 in Kolozsvár (Cluj Napoca - Romania). He learned to play the piano in the local Art Lyceum. In 1989 he moved to Hungary with his family, and he was accepted to the Béla Bartók Secondary School for Music where he studied composing (from István Fekete Győr) and piano (from Katalin Schweitzer). He took his final exam in 1993 with top marks. The same year he was accepted to the second grade of the composing department of the Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music, where his master was György Orbán.

He is multiple prize-winner of various composing contests. His most important work so far is his two-act opera „A gólyakalifa” (Stork caliph), based on Mihály Babits’ novel. The libretto was written by poet Zsófia Balla. This opera was requested by the Hungarian State Opera House for the opera competition of the millennium in 2000 (Levente Gyöngyösi came in second place).

He graduated summa cum laude on the 5th of May, 1999 in the Great Hall of the Music Academy. At this concert, mainly his choral works and chamber works as well as the first act of „A gólyakalifa” were played by the MÁV Symphony Orchestra, conducted by György Vashegyi.

He worked as répétiteur of the Béla Bartók Secondary School for Music (1997-1999) and he also taught score reading there. From July 1999 he has performed at many concerts as continuo player with the Orfeo Orchestra conducted by György Vashegyi. They play baroque and classical music on period instruments.

From the scholar year 1999/2000 he has taken part in the 3-year composing DLA Programme of the Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music. This programme is being led by head of department professor Zoltán Jeney. In 2000 and 2001 Levente Gyöngyösi was honored with the Kodály Scholarship.

In 2006 he won first prize at the contest of the European Choral Association (AGEC).


Prizes and recognitions:
2005 Erkel Prize
2008 Talentum Art Prize
2009 Youths of March Prize
2009 Béla Bartók-Ditta Pásztory Award



see also: Gyöngyösi Levente - musician