Cellist is named chamber orchestra chief

The Hungarian cellist István Várdai, 34, has been appointed artistic diretor of the Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra.

He says: ‘This is an ensemble with a great past, and I have always enjoyed playing with them, because they play at the highest level. It will be a very inspiring and beautiful task to perform with a group of outstanding musicians on the world stage and develop an artistic concept that is internationally outstanding. I was delighted to accept the offer of concertmaster Péter Tfirst and the Orchestra, because I feel that the key to the Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra’s and my own artistic development is the same: to create, as Hungarian musicians, music and art programs that give the audience a lasting experience and high cultural value anywhere in the world.’