Sapszon Ferenc, ifj.
chorus master
Place of Birth
Budapest
Date of Birth
1952
Ferenc Sapszon Jr. was born in Budapest in 1952. His father was also a conductor (head of the choir of the Hungarian Radio and Television (MRT) from 1966 to 1990). Ferenc Sapszon Jr. graduated from the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music in 1977.
From l973 to l990 he was the choirmaster of the Jesus Heart Church in Pest. l978 to l988 he was the singing teacher at the Tade Kosciuszko Street Primary School of Singing and Music. Here he founded the "Jubilate" choir, which gradually became one of the leading children's choirs in Europe.
In 1988, he founded the Zoltán Kodály Hungarian Choir School, the first and still the only choir school in the country, of which he is the artistic director. His aim is to raise the quality of education and teaching and to renew choral art and music education.
At the head of the Jubilate Choir, he has participated in tours, festivals and competitions abroad (Germany, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Finland, the Netherlands, Italy, Greece, USA, etc.), where he has achieved significant results, winning several first prizes, Grand Prix and Olympic titles.
In 1996, he founded the Cantate mixed choir, which won several international competitions, won 4 gold medals at the 1st Choir Olympics in Linz in 2000 and was Olympic champion in two categories.
Ferenc Sapszon Jr. has given presentations, courses and lectures in various countries (Japan, Romania, Czech Republic, USA). He has been a member of the jury of several international choir competitions and has received several times the special prize as a conductor.
From 1996 to 2000, he taught choir conducting at the Music Department of the ELTE TFK, and since 2003 at the Liszt Ferenc University of Music.
He is vice-president of the Gregorian Society, member of the Artistic Committee of KÓTA and of the Presidium of the Hungarian Kodály Society.
Awards and honours:
1990 "Prize for Hungarian Children's Culture" (Catholic Academy of Hamburg)
1995 Liszt Prize
1994, 1997 Artisjus Prize
2001 Nívódíj
2003 Kodály Prize for Public Culture, Pro Scholis Urbis Award
2004 Flower Benedict Prize
2006 Hungarian Heritage Award (for his work in music education)
2011 Knight Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary
2015 Kossuth Prize
2023 Prima Primissima Award in the Hungarian Music category
From l973 to l990 he was the choirmaster of the Jesus Heart Church in Pest. l978 to l988 he was the singing teacher at the Tade Kosciuszko Street Primary School of Singing and Music. Here he founded the "Jubilate" choir, which gradually became one of the leading children's choirs in Europe.
In 1988, he founded the Zoltán Kodály Hungarian Choir School, the first and still the only choir school in the country, of which he is the artistic director. His aim is to raise the quality of education and teaching and to renew choral art and music education.
At the head of the Jubilate Choir, he has participated in tours, festivals and competitions abroad (Germany, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Finland, the Netherlands, Italy, Greece, USA, etc.), where he has achieved significant results, winning several first prizes, Grand Prix and Olympic titles.
In 1996, he founded the Cantate mixed choir, which won several international competitions, won 4 gold medals at the 1st Choir Olympics in Linz in 2000 and was Olympic champion in two categories.
Ferenc Sapszon Jr. has given presentations, courses and lectures in various countries (Japan, Romania, Czech Republic, USA). He has been a member of the jury of several international choir competitions and has received several times the special prize as a conductor.
From 1996 to 2000, he taught choir conducting at the Music Department of the ELTE TFK, and since 2003 at the Liszt Ferenc University of Music.
He is vice-president of the Gregorian Society, member of the Artistic Committee of KÓTA and of the Presidium of the Hungarian Kodály Society.
Awards and honours:
1990 "Prize for Hungarian Children's Culture" (Catholic Academy of Hamburg)
1995 Liszt Prize
1994, 1997 Artisjus Prize
2001 Nívódíj
2003 Kodály Prize for Public Culture, Pro Scholis Urbis Award
2004 Flower Benedict Prize
2006 Hungarian Heritage Award (for his work in music education)
2011 Knight Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary
2015 Kossuth Prize
2023 Prima Primissima Award in the Hungarian Music category