Takáts was among 20 young pianists from five countries who participated in the competition.
He is a second-year student at the Liszt Academy of Music under Attila Némethy. Originally from the city of Tatabánya, he earlier studied under Judit Kékesi.
The second prize in the competition went to the South Korean Cho Younghoon, and the Hungarian Benedek Horváth took third place.
This year?s contest, the fifth, drew pianists from Japan, South Korea, Serbia and Italy, as well as Hungary.
The Erkel Prize-winning composer Boldizsár Csíky, who chaired the contest jury, said the contestants showed all facets of their talents, playing children?s pieces ? whose suggestive performance requires much preparation ? as well as technically difficult pieces.
The contest, timed to coincide with Bartók?s birthday on March 25, was held in Szeged, at the university?s faculty of music. On Sunday, the contestants laid wreathes at the statue of Bartók in the composer?s birthplace of Sânnicolau Mare, just across the border in Romania.
Source: Hungarian News Agency (MTI) / Photo: MTI
