Success for Marcell Szabó in Sibiu

Marcell Szabó (Photo: Liszt Academy / Zsolt Birtalan)

The competition for young pianists in memory of Transylvania-born Carl Filtsch, a contemporary of Liszt, has been organized since 1995. Filtsch was born in Sebes/Szászsebes in 1830, and despite his youth – he died of tuberculosis at the age of just 15 – both Chopin and Liszt predicted he would enjoy a remarkable career; he was the favourite pupil of Chopin and Liszt once said of him that if the boy ever decided to travel, then he (Liszt) would give up his international career. Not only was he a celebrated artist in many countries around Europe, including in Budapest, Vienna and Paris, but he also found time to compose several of his own works. In tribute to the composer, six works by Filtsch were also included at the competition along with Baroque, Chopin and contemporary works in the repertoire for three age groups.

Marcell Szabó was born in 1987, in 1999 he won a place at the Liszt Academy Special School for Exceptional Young Talents in the class of Gábor Eckhardt, and he graduated with a pianist diploma from the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music as a student of György Nádor and András Kemenes in 2012. During academic year 2010/11 he was a guest student of the Royal Conservatory of Brussels. Currently he is in his third year at the doctoral school of the Liszt Academy. He won second prize at the competition in the Seniors category.

The 20th International Carl Filtsch Piano Competition saw another great result for the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music: Domonkos Csabay, who graduated from the Liszt Academy in 2014, was awarded second prize in the category for best own composition.

Congratulations!