23rd International Festival “The Days of Organ – Dies organorum”: ZSOLT MÉSZÁROS

The opportunity to open the 23rd edition of the international festival Days of the Organ – Dies organorum will be given to the Hungarian organist Zsolt Mészáros, researcher of Franz Liszt’s organ opus, organist and music director in the Main Parish Church of the Assumption in Budapest, an award-winning organist and composer. Mészáros is dedicated to the popularization of organ music and the promotion of Hungarian musical culture.
His performances in Belgrade at the festival Days of Organ (26th June) and Subotica at the manifestation Night of Organ (10th June) were supported by the Culture Department of the Hungarian Embassy – Collegium Hungaricum in Belgrade.

Photo by: Lugosi Péter

Program:
Zsolt Máté Mészáros (1992)
Concert Overture ‒ Hommage à Kodály Zoltán

Ernst von Dohnányi (1877–1960)
Tema con variazioni from Symphonic Minutes, Op. 36 (Organ transcription by Z. M. Mészáros)

Richard Wagner (1813–1883)
The Young Pilgrims’ Chorus from Tannhäuser (Organ transcription by Franz Liszt)

Franz Liszt (1811–1886)
Consolation in D flat major

Louis Vierne (1870–1937)
Final from Organ Symphony No. 1 in D minor, Op. 14

Franz Liszt
Ave Maria d’Arcadelt

Variations on Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen

Biography:
Junior Prima Award winning organist and Liszt-reseacher Zsolt Máté Mészáros is one of the most successfull organists of Hungary.
From 2018 he serves as the Organist of Holy Spirit Church in Budapest. In 2021 he became the Director of Music in the Main Parish Church of the Assumption in Budapest, which has long been a cultural center in the city. The church has strong ties to Franz Liszt who was a regular guest of the parish, and premiered and conducted his own works there many times. He is also the Regens Chori (director) of the church’s choir.
He graduated with Highest Honors from the Liszt Academy of Music, Budapest in 2018, where he currently continues his PhD studies. He won the Annie Fischer Scholarship for Performing Arts, the Scholarship of the Hungarian Academy of Arts in 2020, and the Scholarship of the New National Excellence Program on two occassions (2021, 2022).
One of his most important goals is to popularize organ music and the Hungarian music culture. The research he conducted as the scholar of the Hungarian Academy of Arts related to this mission: he is working on the new edition of the complete organ and harmonium works of Franz Liszt.
Over the past several years, he has given hundreds of concerts in Hungary, and is receiving international invitations as well. He has given concerts in major cities and prestigious organ festivals in many European countries and given his first recital in the USA, Philadelphia in 2022. In 2022 the Terra Sancta Organ Festival in the Holy Land started with his solo recitals in Israel and Palestine. He also regularly performs with the most celebrated ensembles of Hungary. He is the Artistic Director of the Budapest International Organ Festival.
In 2012 he won first prize at the Organ Competition of the Filharmonia Hungary. In 2022, he won third prize at the Composers Competition of the Filharmonia Hungary and his Concert Overture became one of the official fanfares of the Night of the Organs Festival. He won third prize with his Gisela Mass for mixed choir and orchestra at the Composers Competition of the Archdiocese of Veszprém, Hungary.
In addition to historical organs, he is also interested in the now rare pressure-system harmoniums. He is the Musical Director of the Society of Hungarian Harmonium Lovers. At his concerts he often plays his own transcriptions, many of which have now been published by Partitura Music. He has also premiered many contemporary Hungarian pieces dedicated especially for him.