Párkai István
conductor, chorus master
Place of Birth
Budapest
Date of Birth
1928
30th June 1928, Budapest - 17th March 2023
Conductor, pianist, retired Head of Department and university professor, honorary chairman of the Association of Hungarian Choirs and Orchestras, founder of the Ferenc Liszt Chamber Choir.
István Párkai studied at the Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music between 1938 and 1955. From 1938 to 1955 he was a pupil of Béla Ambrózy and studied composing with László Somogyi from 1950 to 1955.
From 1953 he was associate teacher at the conducting department of the Ferenc Liszt Academy, later he became lecturer, associate professor and university professor. From 1981 to 1994 he was Head of Department of the secondary school music teacher and conductor training department. As professor emeritus he still teaches at the university.
In 1963 he founded the Ferenc Liszt Chamber Choir, where he was leading conductor for thirty years. He performed with the ensemble in many European countries and in the USA. He won many prizes in Spittal, Arezzo, Middlesbrough and on the choir contest of the BBC. He also recorded many CDs. Now he is member of the jury of numerous national and international contests and holds conducting master courses. His teachers book has been published with the title The basics of choir conducting.
His activity was awarded with the Liszt Prize in 1978, with the Artisjus Prize in 1995, with the Officers Cross of the Hungarian Republic in 1998 and with the Bartók-Pásztory Prize in 1999. In 2001 he won the title Merited Artist, in 2004 the KÓTA Prize and in 2007 the Kossuth Prize.
Conductor, pianist, retired Head of Department and university professor, honorary chairman of the Association of Hungarian Choirs and Orchestras, founder of the Ferenc Liszt Chamber Choir.
István Párkai studied at the Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music between 1938 and 1955. From 1938 to 1955 he was a pupil of Béla Ambrózy and studied composing with László Somogyi from 1950 to 1955.
From 1953 he was associate teacher at the conducting department of the Ferenc Liszt Academy, later he became lecturer, associate professor and university professor. From 1981 to 1994 he was Head of Department of the secondary school music teacher and conductor training department. As professor emeritus he still teaches at the university.
In 1963 he founded the Ferenc Liszt Chamber Choir, where he was leading conductor for thirty years. He performed with the ensemble in many European countries and in the USA. He won many prizes in Spittal, Arezzo, Middlesbrough and on the choir contest of the BBC. He also recorded many CDs. Now he is member of the jury of numerous national and international contests and holds conducting master courses. His teachers book has been published with the title The basics of choir conducting.
His activity was awarded with the Liszt Prize in 1978, with the Artisjus Prize in 1995, with the Officers Cross of the Hungarian Republic in 1998 and with the Bartók-Pásztory Prize in 1999. In 2001 he won the title Merited Artist, in 2004 the KÓTA Prize and in 2007 the Kossuth Prize.
| Year | Title | Publisher | Code | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 |
Carissimi, Giacomo: Jónás; Baltazár
(Carissimi, Giacomo: Jonas; Baltazar) |
Hungaroton | SLPX 12509 | LP / Reissue on CD: Hungaroton HCD 12509 |
| 1987 |
Bakfark Bálint Lant Trió: Zene a reneszánszkori Erdélyben
(Bakfark Bálint Lute Trio: Music in Renaissance Transylvania) |
Hungaroton | HCD 12924 | |
| 2000 |
Carissimi, Giacomo: Jónás; Baltazár
(Carissimi, Giacomo: Jonas; Baltazar) |
Hungaroton | HCD 12509 | Reissue on CD: Hungaroton SLPX 12509 |
| 2001 |
Liszt Ferenc: Férfikari művek
(Choral Works for Male Voices) |
Hungaroton | HCD 31923 | |
| 2017 | The Reformation & Johann Sebastian Bach | Hungaroton | HCD 32763 |