The German guitarist Franz Halász received a Latin Grammy Award (Best Classical Album) in 2015 for ‘Alma Brasileira’ [Chamber works by Radamès Gnattali: BIS-2086], together with his regular duo partner Débora Halász. He began his international career in 1993 when he was awarded first prizes in the Andrés Segovia Competition in Spain and in the Japanese Seto-Ohashi International Competition. His New York début was described as ‘simply electrifying!’ in Soundboard magazine. As a guest at major festivals and events such as the Augustine Guitar Series (New York), Tōru Takemitsu Memorial Concert (Tokyo), Kissinger Sommer (Germany), Bath Festival (UK) and the Dell’Arte series in Rio de Janeiro, he has played with musicians including Boris Pergamenschikow, Siegfried Jerusalem, Patrick Gallois, Ingolf Turban, Wen-Sinn Yang and Hariolf Schlichtig. Sharing the stage with orchestras such as the Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra, Orquestra Sinfônica Brasileira, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Polish Chamber Orchestra and Tapiola Sinfonietta, he has appeared at prestigious concert halls including the Berlin Philharmonie and the Theatro Municipal in Rio de Janeiro.
His other recordings for BIS feature repertoire ranging from Bach to Gubaidulina. The most recent of them are ‘Cançons i danses catalanes’ [BIS-2092] and ‘Guitarra mía’ with tangos by Gardel and Piazzolla [BIS-2165].
In 2010 Franz Halász was appointed the first ever professor of guitar at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Munich, after having held a professorship at the Nuremberg University of Music for some years. He also gives masterclasses at institutes around the world, including the Manhattan School of Music in New York, Royal Academy of Music (Stockholm), the Salzburg Mozarteum, São Paulo University, Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya in Barcelona and Musikene (San Sebastián). In 2007 he was awarded the prestigious Bavarian Culture Prize for his work as a performer and teacher.
For further information, please visit Franz Halász's website.
