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, founded in 2018, is an international ensemble specializing in early music and consisting of young, motivated artists. All of its members have studied at the Institute of Early Music at the University Mozarteum Salzburg, where they are taught by luminaries of the European early music scene such as Dorothee Oberlinger, Mayumi Hirasaki, Reinhard Goebel, and Marco Testori. In recent years, they have developed an intimate way of making music together, exploring different colors and literature.
Photo: ©Michael Brauer Erzählende Photographie 2021
BachWerkVokal Salzburg
Bálint Kovács ist Barockfagottist beim BachWerkVokal Salzburg. Das Ensemble unter der Leitung von Gordon Safari hat sich auf die Aufführung der vokalen Kompositionen von Johann Sebastian Bach spezialisiert und kombiniert dabei Chor und Orchester. Die Gruppe tritt regelmäßig in einer eigenen Konzertreihe in Salzburg auf und nimmt Einladungen zu internationalen Festivals an. Im Rahmen seiner Tätigkeit als Fagottist hatte Bálint die Gelegenheit, mit dem Euridice Barockorchester der Bruckner Universität in Linz sowie dem Budapest Bach Consort zusammenzuarbeiten. Er hat an verschiedenen Projekten teilgenommen, darunter die Innsbruck Festwochen der Alten Musik und das Chigiana Siena Festival.
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 collaboration between the Simplicissimus Ensemble and Bálint Kovács dates back several years. Their main focus 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