Denes varjon biography

In younger years, he also took part in international masterclasses with Sir András Schiff in parallel to his studies.
He is a universal musician: excellent soloist, first-class chamber musician, artistic leader of festivals, highly sought–after piano pedagogue.
Dénes Várjon, born 1968 in Budapest, studied at the Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music, receiving tuition in piano from Sándor Falvai and chamber music from György.

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Biography

Dénes Várjon

His sensational technique, deep musicality, wide range of interest have made Dénes Várjon one of the most exciting and highly regarded participants of international musical life. He is a universal musician: excellent soloist, first-class chamber musician, artistic leader of festivals, highly sought–after piano pedagogue.

Widely considered as one of the greatest chamber musicians, he works regularly with preeminent partners such as Steven Isserlis, Tabea Zimmermann, Kim Kashkashian, Jörg Widmann, Leonidas Kavakos, András Schiff , Heinz Holliger, Miklós Perényi, Joshua Bell. As a soloist he is a welcome guest at major concert series, from New York’s Carnegie Hall to Vienna’s Konzerthaus and London’s Wigmore Hall. He is frequently invited to work with many of the world’s leading symphony orchestras (Budapest Festival Orchestra, Tonhalle Orchestra, Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Russian National Orchestra, Kremerata Baltica, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields). Amon

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Dénes Várjon

Since 2018
Principal Professor in the Kronberg Academy Study Programmes

Born in Budapest in 1968, Dénes Várjon graduated from the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music in 1991, where he studied with Sándor Falvai, György Kurtág and Ferenc Rados. In younger years, he also took part in international masterclasses with Sir András Schiff in parallel to his studies. After winning the Leó Weiner Chamber Music Competition in Budapest and Hungarian Radio’s National Piano Competition, in 1991 he won first prize in the Concours Géza Anda in Zurich. Subsequently, in 1997, he received the Franz Liszt Prize, the Sándor Veress Prize and the Bartók-Pásztory Award from the Hungarian government.

His exceptional technical ability, deep musicality and his wide-ranging musical interests make Dénes Várjon one of the most exciting and best respected Hungarian pianists of his generation. His universal musical talent is evident in his work as an excellent soloist, first-class chamber musician, artistic director of festivals and extremely popular piano teacher.

Dénes Várjon is always a welcome

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The Cross-Eyed Pianist

Who or what inspired you to take up piano, and pursue a career in music?

Though I didn’t start having piano lessons until the age of 7, I was already very interested in classical music much earlier. My great-grandmother was a piano teacher and we had a beautiful carved upright at home, which I loved. My parents, who were not musicians, loved classical music, especially operas, so they took me and my sister regularly to the opera. I enjoyed these performances enormously and listened to recordings at home as well. I especially loved Verdi and La Traviata was my absolute favourite opera (I still love it).

When at the age of 6 I started to attend school, I went to a music school, where we had singing lessons every day. I was singing in a choir as well and about twice a week we also had folk dance lessons. My parents didn’t want me to start having piano lessons during that year because school was already a big change in my life. But from my second school year it was natural to start piano and I had solfege lessons as well. I enjoyed it very muc