Artists

He was born in 1976 in Zalaegerszeg. Róbert Kovács started playing the piano at the age of 5 under the tutorial of László Bojtár in Mohács, and began studying organ at the age of 11 with György Peskó in Budapest. At the Conservatory of Budapest he studied under Endre Virágh, and in 1994 won First Prize at the Organ Festival for young organists in Hungary. He continued his studies at the Vienna Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst in Church Music and Organ under Hans Haselböck and Peter Planyavsky, graduating with distinction in 2000 and 2002. He was regularly guest organist in Vienna at the Augusteinerkirche and the Stephansdom since 1997. He performed with several renowned orchestras and choirs in Vienna like the Musikverein, the Konzerthaus and in several European concert halls. As a choir singer he has been member of the Wiener Kammerchor (conductor: Johannes Prinz) for 4 years. As organist and chorus director he worked with the Arnold Schönberg Choir (conductor: Erwin Ortner) on several occasions. He taught organ improvisation and liturgical organ playing at the Vienna Archdiocese from 2001 to 2003 and was chief organist at the Saint Florian Abbey from 2004 to 2006, where he performed annually 140-150 concerts on the world-famous Bruckner-organ.

Prizes:

1998. Vienna, 2nd Prize at the Anton Heiller International Improvisation Competition

2000. Prize of the Austrian Cultural Ministry

2004. Haarlem (The Netherlands) Finalist at the International Competition for Organ Improvisational

2006. Haarlem, 1st Prize at the International Competition for Organ Improvisation