National award for promoting Kodály's concept abroad
On the occassion of 15th March, Hungary’s National Day, HE President János Áder gave the Hungarian Gold Cross of Merit, the highest national award to two outstanding musicians who live and work outside Hungary.
Composer-conductor Albert Tay, founder & director of the Kodály Academy of Music Singapore has been awarded the Hungarian Gold Cross of Merit for his dedication and outstanding work in promoting the Hungarian classical music culture and the music education concept of Zoltán Kodály in Asia.
Albert Tay completed his Master studies in Kodály Music Pedagogy at the Kodály Institute as a recipient of the prestigious International Kodály Society Scholarship.
Founded in 2014, the Kodály Academy of Music Singapore is instrumental in organising the Asia Kodály Symposium and has also engaged the Singaporean community through various education and performing arts workshops under its “Studiorum Series”.
In this article you can read more about Albert Tay, his mission and dedication.
Composer and teacher Ian Guest (Geszti János), a native of Hungary, has been awarded the Hungarian Gold Cross of Merit for his dedication and outstanding work in promoting the Hungarian classical music culture and the music education concept of Zoltán Kodály in Brasil.
Mr. Guest completed his foundational musical studies in Budapest, however the stormy history of Hungary made his family leave the country and settle in Brasil in 1957. A graduate of Bachelor from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, and the Berklee College of Music, Boston, USA he has acted as director, arranger and composer of theater and film music, commercials and choral works. As a passionate music teacher and a member of the Kodály do Brasil Association based in Sao Paolo he has been actively promoting the Kodály concept in Brasil for many decades.
Congratulations!