Katona Twins Guitar Duo to Perform at SOSU
Press Release Date: 02-22-2007
Southeastern Oklahoma State University’s Musical Arts Series and the Red River Arts Council will present the Katona Twins Guitar Duo in concert at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 8, in the SOSU Fine Arts Recital Hall.
The Hungarian-born twins, Peter and Zoltan, have given recitals throughout the world, including performances at Carnegie Hall in New York City; the Purcell Room of the Royal Festival Hall and Wigmore Hall in London; the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam; the Konzerthaus in Vienna; the Suntory Hall in Tokyo; the Forbidden City in Beijing; Alte Oper in Frankfurt; and the Philharmonic in Cologne.
The twins have won numerous prizes, both individually and together. In 2004, they were awarded the prestigious Borletti-Buitoni prize, the first guitarists to win in the trust’s history.
In 1998, they won the Concert Artists Guild Competition held in New York City, thereby securing management throughout the USA. Tours soon followed, as well as their debut in Carnegie Hall.
Earlier in their careers (1997), they were winners at the Young Concert Artist Trust Auditions in London and that brought with it London-based worldwide management.
They successfully auditioned in 1997 for the Park Lane contemporary music group. Earlier, they had won the S.T. Johnson Foundation prize and the Laura Ashley prize.
In 1993, they won first prize at the most prestigious guitar duo competition in Montelimar, France. Peter and Zoltan took first prize in the international guitar duo competition held in Bubenreuth, Germany, and they were awarded the Cultural Prize of the City of Kassel, Germany.
The wide repertoire of the duo spans from Scarlatti to Piazzolla’s tango music. Their programs also include concertos for two guitars and orchestra by Rodrigo, Vivaldi, Piazzolla and Tedesco. Michael Berkeley, Judith Bingham, Carlos Sanchez-Gutierrez and several other composers have written for and dedicated works to the Katona Twins.
From the age of 10, the twins have studied both individually and as a guitar duo in Budapest, Frankfurt, and at the Royal Academy of Music in London. During their studies, they have benefited from classes with Julian Bream and John Williams.
The Katona Twins have been invited on numerous occasions to record for the British Broadcasting Corporation and other international television and radio stations. Their CD releases include music by Scarlatti and Handel; Rodrigo; Albeniz; and pieces by Piazzolla, Granados, de Falla and Mozart.
The Musical Arts Series is sponsored in part by grants from the Oklahoma Arts Council and the Mid-America Arts alliance, with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.
The duo will also present a program for the Durant Public Schools. Both events are offered with no admission charge.