| image = Pianist Vásáry Tamás.jpg
| image = Pianist Vásáry Tamás.jpg
| alt =
| alt =
| image_upright = 0.7
| caption = Vásáry in 2015
| caption = Vásáry in 2015
| birth_date = {{birth date|1933|08|11|df=yes}}
| birth_date = {{birth date|1933|08|11|df=yes}}
Vásáry was born in [[Debrecen]] on 11 August 1933.<ref name=”Seidle” /> He was a child prodigy, trained at the music conservatory of his hometown by Margit Höchtle, a student of [[Árpád Szendy]]. He made his stage debut at the age of 8, performing one of Mozart’s [[Piano Concertos K. 107 (Mozart)|early piano concertos]] in his hometown, where he gave a solo recital the following year.<ref name=”Seidle” /> He then began to play concert regularly. He was introduced to [[Ernő Dohnányi]], who offered to accept him as a student, but Vásáry studied only shortly with him because Dohnányi left Hungary.<ref name=”BMC” />
Vásáry was born in [[Debrecen]] on 11 August 1933.<ref name=”Seidle” /> He was a child prodigy, trained at the music conservatory of his hometown by Margit Höchtle, a student of [[Árpád Szendy]]. He made his stage debut at the age of 8, performing one of Mozart’s [[Piano Concertos K. 107 (Mozart)|early piano concertos]] in his hometown, where he gave a solo recital the following year.<ref name=”Seidle” /> He then began to play concert regularly. He was introduced to [[Ernő Dohnányi]], who offered to accept him as a student, but Vásáry studied only shortly with him because Dohnányi left Hungary.<ref name=”BMC” />
[[File:Thamas Erdi (1a).jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.6|Vásáry in 1943]]
After World War II, the family moved to Budapest where Vásáry studied with {{ill|József Gát|hu|Gát József}}, {{ill|Lajos Hernádi|hu|Hernádi Lajos}} and [[Zoltán Kodály]] at the [[Franz Liszt Academy of Music]]..<ref name=”Seidle” /> Aged 14, he won the Academy’s Franz Liszt Competition. He studied until 1953 and then served as an assistant to Kodály at the Academy.<ref name=”Seidle” /> Playing at internation competitions from 1948, he was a finalist of the [[V International Chopin Piano Competition]] in Warsaw in 1955, also in Paris the same year 1955, in Brussels in 1956 and in Rio de Janeiro in 1957.<ref name=”Seidle” />
After World War II, the family moved to Budapest where Vásáry studied with {{ill|József Gát|hu|Gát József}}, {{ill|Lajos Hernádi|hu|Hernádi Lajos}} and [[Zoltán Kodály]] at the [[Franz Liszt Academy of Music]]..<ref name=”Seidle” /> Aged 14, he won the Academy’s Franz Liszt Competition. He studied until 1953 and then served as an assistant to Kodály at the Academy.<ref name=”Seidle” /> Playing at internation competitions from 1948, he was a finalist of the [[V International Chopin Piano Competition]] in Warsaw in 1955, also in Paris the same year 1955, in Brussels in 1956 and in Rio de Janeiro in 1957.<ref name=”Seidle” />
Hungarian concert pianist and conductor (1933–2026)
Tamás Vásáry (Hungarian pronunciation: [ˈtɒmaːʃ ˈvaːʃaːri]; 11 August 1933 – 5 February 2026) was a Hungarian concert pianist and conductor who made an international career, living in Switzerland from 1956 and later in London.
Vásáry was born in Debrecen on 11 August 1933.[1] He was a child prodigy, trained at the music conservatory of his hometown by Margit Höchtle, a student of Árpád Szendy. He made his stage debut at the age of 8, performing one of Mozart’s early piano concertos in his hometown, where he gave a solo recital the following year.[1] He then began to play concert regularly. He was introduced to Ernő Dohnányi, who offered to accept him as a student, but Vásáry studied only shortly with him because Dohnányi left Hungary.[2]
.jpg)
After World War II, the family moved to Budapest where Vásáry studied with József Gát, Lajos Hernádi and Zoltán Kodály at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music..[1] Aged 14, he won the Academy’s Franz Liszt Competition. He studied until 1953 and then served as an assistant to Kodály at the Academy.[1] Playing at internation competitions from 1948, he was a finalist of the V International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw in 1955, also in Paris the same year 1955, in Brussels in 1956 and in Rio de Janeiro in 1957.[1]
Vásáry left Hungary in 1956, and settled in Switzerland; he later moved to London.[1] He made his debuts in the major cities of the West in 1960–61. He subsequently resided in London. He made many recordings for Deutsche Grammophon, particularly of the Romantic repertoire, especially music by Frédéric Chopin, Franz Liszt and Sergei Rachmaninoff.
As a conductor, Vásáry served as joint artistic director of the Northern Sinfonia from 1979 to 1982,[1] sharing the post with Iván Fischer. With the Northern Sinfonia Vásáry recorded the Chopin piano concertos, directing from the keyboard.[3] Vásáry was later principal conductor of the Bournemouth Sinfonietta, from 1989 to 1997.[1] He was the principal conductor of the Hungarian Radio Symphony Orchestra from 1993[1] and 2004. He conducted many of the leading British orchestras as a guest, as well as appearing regularly in the United States and elsewhere as pianist and conductor.
Vásáry died on 5 February 2026, at the age of 92.[4]
Vásáry recorded under six different labels: Supraphon, Deutsche Grammophon, Chandos Records, Academy Sound and Vision, Collins Classic and Hungaroton. He recorded over 20 albums of the music of Liszt, Chopin, Brahms, Debussy, Rachmaninoff and Mozart with Deutsche Grammophon. In 1991, his recording of works by Liszt released by the Academy of Sound and Vision won the Grand Prize in Hungary. His recording of Dohnányi’s violin concerto released by Hungaroton won the Midem Prize.
