The Bard College Conservatory of Music will welcome internationally acclaimed Hungarian pianist Balázs Fülei for a Guest Artist Masterclass on Wednesday, 10 December 2025, offering students and the public a rare opportunity to engage closely with one of Europe’s most versatile concert pianists.
The masterclass will take place at 1:30 pm (EST / GMT–5) in the Bitó Conservatory Building, Performance Space, and will be free and open to the public. The event will also be livestreamed via the Conservatory’s official YouTube channel, extending access to a global audience.
An artist of breadth and depth
Balázs Fülei has built a wide-ranging international career distinguished by stylistic breadth, intellectual curiosity, and a deep commitment to both solo and chamber repertoire. His concerto repertoire alone includes more than thirty piano concertos, encompassing the complete cycles by Ludwig van Beethoven, Johannes Brahms, and Béla Bartók.
His discography reflects a similarly expansive artistic outlook. Fülei released his first solo album in 2013, featuring works by Bartók and Edvard Grieg. This was followed in 2015 by a thematically conceived recording combining music by Brahms, Beethoven and Claude Debussy, alongside compositions by Hungarian composer András Gábor Virágh, inspired by the symbolism of the Moon. Later recordings include Beethoven’s and Franz Schubert’s penultimate piano sonatas, as well as a critically noted album devoted to the late piano works of Franz Liszt.
In addition to his solo work, Fülei has recorded extensively in collaboration with chamber partners, including the Auer Trio, clarinettist Zsolt Szatmári, and tenor Zoltán Megyesi. Among these projects is a widely praised recording of Schubert’s Winterreise, demonstrating his sensitivity to vocal partnership and narrative depth.
International recognition and performance career
Fülei entered the international spotlight at a young age, winning the Arcangelo Speranza International Piano Competition in 2005. This early success was followed by further awards in Milan, Cagliari, and Moscow, establishing his reputation across Europe and beyond. He was also selected on two occasions by the International Holland Music Sessions to appear as a soloist in the New Masters On Tour series.
His concert career has taken him to many of the world’s leading venues, including the Liszt Academy Grand Hall, the Palace of Arts, Konzerthaus Vienna, the Concertgebouw, Kioi Hall, the Tchaikovsky Conservatory, National Centre for the Performing Arts, and Carnegie Hall, where he made his New York solo recital debut in 2008. Alongside recital appearances, he has performed with leading symphony orchestras in Hungary and internationally.
Chamber music and pedagogy
A dedicated chamber musician, Fülei is a regular guest at major international festivals, including the Festival de Bellerive, the Miami Piano Festival, and the Budapest Spring Festival. He is also a frequent collaborator with the Kodály Quartet, one of Hungary’s most distinguished chamber ensembles.
Since 2012, Fülei has been a member of the faculty at the Liszt Academy, where he serves as Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Chamber Music. His educational activities extend worldwide through teaching residencies and masterclasses, and through the Echo Summer Academy, which he founded and which is held annually at Károlyi Castle in Hungary.
Awards and recognition
Fülei’s artistry has been acknowledged with numerous honours, including the Junior Prima Prize (2010), Artisjus Prize (2011), Solti Foundation Prize (2012), and the Diamond Career Grant from Salon de Virtuosi (2015). In 2017 he received the Liszt Prize, and in 2020 he was named a Steinway Artist by Steinway & Sons.
The Bard College masterclass offers a valuable opportunity to observe Fülei’s interpretative insight and pedagogical approach at close range. Further information is available through Bard College Conservatory of Music.
— The Violin Post Editorial Staff
