Bálint Kovács
Bálint Kovács
About
Bálint Kovács is a Hungarian recorder and baroque bassoon player, music educator, and versatile performer. He is completing his three master’s studies at the Mozarteum University in Salzburg and has won several international competitions, including the International Tel Aviv Recorder Competition in 2022. His playful and experimental approach is evident in both his performances and teaching, including experimenting with his own composed pieces.
Not only is he a performer of various musical styles but he is also a highly organized individual with a strong interest in the scientific aspects of music and pedagogy.
His studies at leading music universities such as the University of Performing Arts Vienna and Mozarteum University in Salzburg have provided him with a deeper understanding of instrument techniques and different performance practices of historical and contemporary music.
He regularly performs as a soloist and chamber musician on the recorder and as an orchestra member on the baroque bassoon. He also provides intensive education for children from a young age to advanced students and is involved in the organization team of the recorder class at the Mozarteum.
Ensemble Cameo
Ensemble Cameo, established in 2018, is an international ensemble specializing in early music and comprised of talented, motivated artists. The members initially met at the Institute of Early Music at the University Mozarteum, where they formed the ensemble and nurtured their musical abilities collaboratively. Guided by renowned figures in the European early music scene – including Dorothee Oberlinger, Mayumi Hirasaki, Reinhard Goebel, and Marco Testori – they have cultivated a close-knit approach to making music, delving into diverse repertoire and musical styles. Cameo has already performed at prestigious Early Music festivals, such as the Festwochen der Alten Musik and the Kultursommer Wien. The ensemble is deeply committed to explore different colours of music.
Photo: ©Michael Brauer Erzählende Photographie 2021
Ensemble BachWerkVokal Salzburg
Bálint Kovács is a member of the Ensemble BachWerkVokal Salzburg as a baroque bassoonist. The ensemble, led by Gordon Safari, specializes in performing the vocal compositions of Johann Sebastian Bach with a combination of choir and orchestra. The group regularly performs in its own concert series in Salzburg, and they also accept invitations to international festivals, as well as record music.
tone:scape
The tone:scape ensemble comprises five young musicians who met in Salzburg and quickly formed an innovative and expressive formation. Their performances feature delicate expressions of emotions, rapid tempos, and moments of lyrical intimacy. This dynamic mix invites the listener into a thrilling world of contrasts: chiaroscuro, the interplay of light and shadow. The ensemble’s musical interpretation of chiaroscuro takes listeners on a journey that includes both original works and their own arrangements. The tone:scape ensemble was awarded first prize at the Musikfestspiele Potsdam Sanssouci competition in 2022.
Photo: ©Tzu-Yu Yang, 2021
Simplicissimus Ensemble
The main focus of the collaboration between the Simplicissimus and Bálint Kovács is to promote the original baroque music literature, which was originally composed for the recorder. They organize and perform concerts throughout Hungary, showcasing the beauty of this music. Since 2018, they have also been providing musical accompaniment for the decades-old tradition of the Baroque Wedding in Győr. The leader of the Simplicissimus Ensemble is Zsombor Németh.
Teaching activity
Bálint Kovács also holds a degree in music education as a recorder and baroque bassoon teacher. Currently, he teaches within the State Music School System of Upper Austria. In addition to music school education, he is also active in adult education, participating in the artistic training of recorder teachers within institutional frameworks. His primary goal is to impart the joy and inspiration of making music to his students. Right from the first lesson, he encourages his students to engage in improvisation and compose their own musical pieces. In addition to the pedagogical methods commonly used in Austria, he also incorporates elements of the well-known Kodály method from Hungary into his teaching approach. For Bálint, teaching is not just a job but a complementary activity to performing in concerts. He is enthusiastic about helping his students unfold their musical abilities and experience the pleasures of making music together.
Photo: ©Bálint Hrotkó, 2022
Solistical Performances, Multi-disciplinary Collaborations, and Contemporary Music
Bálint has collaborated as a soloist with symphonic and chamber orchestras, and is always eager to explore new opportunities to create unique and engaging musical experiences. He has a strong interest in developing new performance formats that blend different art forms together. Bálint also enjoys the extended sound world of contemporary music and participates in projects that focus on newly composed works.
Photo: ©Nika Brunová, 2022
Baroque bassoonist
As a baroque bassoonist, Bálint has had the privilege of collaborating with esteemed ensembles such as the Bach Orchester München, Euridice Baroque Orchestra of the Bruckner University in Linz, and the Budapest Bach Consort. He particularly relishes performing basso continuo, findig it to be the ideal complement to his profiency in playing upper lines.
