Kállai Ernő
violin
Place of Birth
Budapest
Date of Birth
1986
Orchestra
Web
Ernő Kállai was born in 1986 in Budapest. He began early violin training with his father, and already at the age of twelve he had been admitted to the Exceptionally Talented Children’s class of the Franz Liszt University of Music. In 2006 he moved to the United States to study with Itzhak Perlman at the Juilliard School as a full scholarship student. He holds a bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Juilliard School of Music.
He has performed chamber music concerts with world renowned violinist Itzhak Perlman and members of the Perlman Music Program. He has played for Hungarian radio and television, France Musique, the McGraw-Hill Company’s “Young Artists’ Showcase” with host Bob Sherman on WQXR, and in 2014 he recorded his first album for Hungaroton including Violin Sonatas by Mozart. In 2015 he founded his string quartet, the Kállai Quartet, and from 2016 he serves as a concertmaster of the Hungarian State Opera.
Ernő Kállai made his Carnegie Hall, Stern Auditorium debut in 2008 with the Juilliard Orchestra which was critically acclaimed by the Strad Magazine. He made his debut with the New York Philharmonic in 2011, and has appeared as a soloist with the Orchestre National de Lille, Orquesta Classica Santa Cecilia, Boca Raton Symphonia, CEI Youth Orchestra, Concerto Budapest, Danubia Orchestra, Győr Philharmonic, Hungarian Radio Symphony, MÁV Symphony Orchestra, Szent István Symphony Orchestra and the Weiner-Szász Chamber Symphony. He has played in venues such as the Louvre Auditorium in Paris, Avery Fisher Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Carnegie Hall, Chicago's Symphony Hall, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Franz Liszt Music Academy, Vigadó and the Palace of Arts in Budapest. He has played concerts in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Japan, France, Spain, Italy, Russia, Sweden, and Hungary. He also feels the importance of nurturing the young generation of violinists, and has held master classes in Hungary and in Lugano.
He has won numerous awards and prizes, including the Cziffra Festival’s award in 2017, Fischer Annie Scholarship in 2016, first prize at the Leo Weiner Chamber Music Competition in 2016 with the Kállai Quartet, second prize at the Societa Umanitaria International Music Competition (Milan) in 2015 also with the Kállai Quartet, Junior Prima award in 2012, second prize and audience prize at the International Szigeti Violin and Viola Competition in 2012, first prize at the Alexander and Buono International String Competition (New York) in 2011, first prize of the Carl Flesch International Violin Competition in 2008, first prize at the Juilliard Concerto Competition in 2008, Salon de Virtuosi Career Grant (New York) in 2007, Special Prize at the International Sarasate Violin Competition in 2005, first prize at the Semmering Music Festival for best interpretation of a Viennese Classic work, and best interpretation of a work by Zoltán Kodály, among others.
Ernő Kállai plays on a violin crafted by Carlo Antonio Testore, courtesy of the Summa Artium Foundation.
He has performed chamber music concerts with world renowned violinist Itzhak Perlman and members of the Perlman Music Program. He has played for Hungarian radio and television, France Musique, the McGraw-Hill Company’s “Young Artists’ Showcase” with host Bob Sherman on WQXR, and in 2014 he recorded his first album for Hungaroton including Violin Sonatas by Mozart. In 2015 he founded his string quartet, the Kállai Quartet, and from 2016 he serves as a concertmaster of the Hungarian State Opera.
Ernő Kállai made his Carnegie Hall, Stern Auditorium debut in 2008 with the Juilliard Orchestra which was critically acclaimed by the Strad Magazine. He made his debut with the New York Philharmonic in 2011, and has appeared as a soloist with the Orchestre National de Lille, Orquesta Classica Santa Cecilia, Boca Raton Symphonia, CEI Youth Orchestra, Concerto Budapest, Danubia Orchestra, Győr Philharmonic, Hungarian Radio Symphony, MÁV Symphony Orchestra, Szent István Symphony Orchestra and the Weiner-Szász Chamber Symphony. He has played in venues such as the Louvre Auditorium in Paris, Avery Fisher Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Carnegie Hall, Chicago's Symphony Hall, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Franz Liszt Music Academy, Vigadó and the Palace of Arts in Budapest. He has played concerts in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Japan, France, Spain, Italy, Russia, Sweden, and Hungary. He also feels the importance of nurturing the young generation of violinists, and has held master classes in Hungary and in Lugano.
He has won numerous awards and prizes, including the Cziffra Festival’s award in 2017, Fischer Annie Scholarship in 2016, first prize at the Leo Weiner Chamber Music Competition in 2016 with the Kállai Quartet, second prize at the Societa Umanitaria International Music Competition (Milan) in 2015 also with the Kállai Quartet, Junior Prima award in 2012, second prize and audience prize at the International Szigeti Violin and Viola Competition in 2012, first prize at the Alexander and Buono International String Competition (New York) in 2011, first prize of the Carl Flesch International Violin Competition in 2008, first prize at the Juilliard Concerto Competition in 2008, Salon de Virtuosi Career Grant (New York) in 2007, Special Prize at the International Sarasate Violin Competition in 2005, first prize at the Semmering Music Festival for best interpretation of a Viennese Classic work, and best interpretation of a work by Zoltán Kodály, among others.
Ernő Kállai plays on a violin crafted by Carlo Antonio Testore, courtesy of the Summa Artium Foundation.
| Year | Title | Publisher | Code | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Mozart, W. A.: Sonatas for Violin & Piano | Hungaroton | HCD 32740 |
Own |
| 2015 | Csilla Gulyás: Classical Sonatas for Harp | Hungaroton | HCD 32753 |