Participants Universitas Cantat 2017

Choir of Eszterhazy Karoly University Eger, Hungary
Conductor: Dr Sándor Kabdebó

Choir of Eszterhazy Karoly University Eger, Hungary

The Choir of the Eszterhazy Karoly University of Applied Sciences has achieved many successes for decades. Among others, in 1978 they won the first prize at the Bela Bartok International Choir Competition in Debrecen, under the direction of Lőrinc Tar. Since 2009 the choir conductor is Sándor Kabdebó, who took over from Márta Vass.

The choir is composed of students of the Music Faculty of the University, who rehearse twice a week for their concerts. As the students need to acquire the skills necessary for choral conducting, membership in the choir is compulsory.

The repertoire of the choir ranges from the Renaissance to the contemporary music. It is necessary that the students become familiar with different kind of choral pieces in order to be able to perform the pieces they are going to teach in an authentic way.

The choir participates in the activities of the Hungarian choral scene, performing successfully at choir competitions. The choir won gold classification several times, and has given concerts with other choirs all over the country. One of their latest performances was a memorable Christmas concert together with the Boys’ Choir of Archbishopric and Cantus Agriensis in the Basilica in Eger. The choir has many opportunities to give concerts outside of Eger as well. They have performed in Varna, Nyíregyháza, and in Budapest on a number of occasions. Now the choir is pleased to visit Poznań in order to participate – for the first time in their history – in Universitas Cantat.

Sándor Kabdebó - Music Teacher and Choral Conductor, Assistant Professor of Choral Conducting

Born in 1964, Sándor Kabdebó graduated at the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music in Budapest as a music teacher and conductor in 1994. He completed his DLA studies in 2016 at the Doctoral School of the Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest.

Mr Kabdebó has worked as a music teacher and choir conductor since 1993. Between 2012 and 2015 he was the conductor of the Children's Choir of the Hungarian National Radio. Since 2009 he has been a teacher of conducting and director of the choir at the Eszterházy Károly University of Eger. In 1988 he founded the Prelude Mixed Choir in Budapest, and has been its conductor since then. 

With his choirs he has won more than 25 prizes (1st, 2nd or 3rd) at international choir competitions. His latest success is the third prize won in Neuchatel in 2014. He also received special prizes for conducting, interpretation of contemporary pieces and artistry of performance. He has also participated actively in the Hungarian choral scene activities, his latest achievement being the Grand Prix of the 7th Zoltán Kodály Hungarian Choir Competition together with the Audience Award won with Prelude Mixed Choir in 2015. He also regularly performs oratorio pieces with his ensembles, including international projects. In 2006 he was awarded the prize of Artisjus Musical Foundation for his outstanding work in musical education. 

Eszterhazy Karoly University, Eger, Hungary