Kurtág will be presented the prize in the Teatro alle Tese - Arsenal on September 27. The Torino National Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of Kurtág's former student, Zoltán Peskó, will play a concert at the ceremony.
Although Kurtág does not generally allow himself to be bothered by official acknowledgements, he will be in Venice to accept the Golden Lion because he will participate at a conference in the city on the preceding day, said Peskó.
The all-Kurtág gala concert will start with Hipartita performed by the violinist Hiromi Kituchi, followed by Grabstein für Stephan played by the guitarist Elena Casoli. After the prize is presented to Kurtág and an intermission, Kituchi and the violist Ken Hakii will play Opus 42.
Studying with Kurtág opens the door to a kind of secret society, Peskó said. "From the time somebody meets him, they will see and hear music differently than others."
The International Festival of Contemporary Music coincides with the Venice Biennale.
Source: Hungarian News Agency (MTI) / Photo: MTI
