Péter Erdei
Position at the Institute: Professor, Founding Director of the Kodály Institute
Subjects taught: Choral Conducting Technique, Conducting Lab, Choir Singing and Vocal Chamber Ensemble
Education:
1963 - 1968: Diploma in Music Education and Choral Conducting – Liszt Academy of Music, Budapest, Hungary. His most influential teachers were Lajos Bárdos, Zoltán Gárdonyi, István Párkai, Erzsébet Szőnyi and Zoltán Vásárhelyi.
Teaching experience in his home country:
1974 – 1990 and 1992 – present: Professor of Choral Conducting at the Kodály Institute of the Liszt Academy of Music, Kecskemét
1973 – 2003 and 2005 – 2014: Professor of Choral Conducting at the Liszt Academy of Music, Budapest
1972 – 1974: Lecturer in Solfége, Music Theory and Choral Conducting at the affiliated Music Institute of the Liszt Academy of Music in Debrecen.
Teaching experience abroad:
2008 – present: Permanent guest professor at the Central Conservatory of Music, Music Education Institute, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
1968 - 1972: Co-founder and teacher at the Kodály Musical Training Institute (Wellesley, Mass., USA)
Guest lecturer, examiner and master teacher of various seminars, mastercourses, workshops for choral conductors and music educators in Argentina, Australia, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Great Britain, Greece, Holland, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Norway, Poland, Romania, Singapore, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the USA.
Artistic activity:
2018 – present: Co-founder, conductor of National Youth Choir of Hungary
2016 – present: Founding conductor of the "Énekes Kör" (Choral Circle) in Kecskemét
2010 – 2014: Founding conductor of the New Liszt Ferenc Chamber Choir, the artist-in-residence choral ensemble of the Liszt Academy of Music, Budapest
2006 – 2014: Conductor of the Alma Mater Choir, the official chorus of the Liszt Academy of Music
2002 – 2008: Chairman of the Artistic Board of the Béla Bartók International Choral Competition of Debrecen
1983 – 1985, 1998 – 2000 and 2003 – 2006: Principle conductor of the Kodály Choir of Debrecen
1976 – 2005: Conductor of the Teachers' Choir of Kecskemét
1990 – 1992: Principle conductor of the Hungarian Radio Choir
In the last three decades he has given first performances, made recordings and CDs of contemporary Hungarian choral works.
He has given masterclasses and served as adjudicator at some of the most prestigious choral festivals and competitions in Arezzo, Cambridge, Cork, Debrecen, Galanta, Hong Kong, Llangollen, Marktoberdorf, Moscow, Neuchatel, Oxford, Tours, Singapore, Varna, etc.
Guest conductor:
- Principle conductor of World Youth Choir in 2000
- Hungarian National Choir
- Choir of the Hungarian Radio
Key publications:
- Editor of 150 American Folksongs to sing, read and play – published by Boosey and Hawkes, New York, 1972
- Editor of the revised and expanded edition of Zoltán Kodály: Mixed choruses published by Universal Music Publishing Editio Musica Budapest Zeneműkiadó Kft., 2018
Memberships:
- Honorary President of Hungarian Association of Choirs, Orchestras and Folk Ensembles (KÓTA)
- Honorary member of the International Kodály Society
- Honorary member of the Hungarian Kodály Society
- Lajos Bárdos Society
Awards:
- Hungary's Excellent Artist Award, 2020
- Péter Fábry Award from the Hungarian minority in Slovakia, 2020
- Lifetime Achievement Award of the World Youth and Children Choral Artists' Association, Hong Kong, 2019
- Lifetime Achievement Award of the Organisation of Kodály Educators of America, 2019
- Lifetime Achievement Award of the Hungarian Association of Choirs, Orchestras and Folk Ensembles (KÓTA), 2019
- Zoltán Kodály Award of Kecskemét, 2019
- Music Award of the Hungarian Academy of the Arts, 2018
- Merited Artist of Hungary, 2010
- Bartók-Pásztory Prize, 2009
- “For the Kodály Institute” Award in 1994, 2008 resp.
- Decoration “For the Higher Education of Kecskemét”, 2007
- Honorary Doctorate of Capital University, Columbus, Ohio, USA, 2004
- Kodály Prize by Pro Renovanda Cultura Hungariae Foundation, 2004
- Order of Merit Chief Officer Cross awarded by the King of Norway, 2002
- Trefort Ágoston Prize, 2001
- Order of Merit (civilian) Officer Cross of the Hungarian Republic, 1995
- Liszt Ferenc Prize in 1992