Katona Twins

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Katona Twins

Background information
Born 1968
Origin Budapest, Hungary
Genre(s) Classical, Tango, Spanish guitar
Instrument(s) Guitar
Years active c.1990 -
Label(s) Channel Classics
Website katonatwins.com
Members
Peter Katona, Zoltán Katona

The Katona Twins ("Katona") are a celebrated Hungarian guitar duo which has performed in front of audiences at prestigious venues and at major music festivals around the world. Their performances have been widely reviewed by the music press[1][2]. The duo comprises identical twins Peter and Zoltán, and are "the classical world's best-known guitar duo"[3].

Katona's repertoire spans from the Classical, through to Tango and Spanish guitar. They also work to adapt other classical works to their guitar duo format. Their 5 album releases to date have featured works by, inter alia, Handel, Scarlatti, Isaac Albéniz, Ástor Piazzolla. Their programmes also include works by de Falla and Tedesco as well contemporary composers such as Paco de Lucía. They also perform concerti for two guitars and orchestra by Rodrigo, Vivaldi, Bach.

Contents

[edit] Biography

Identical twins Peter and Zoltán , born in Budapest, Hungary in 1968.

From the age of ten, the Katona studied, both individually and as a guitar duo, at the Béla Bartók Conservatory of Music in Budapest, the Academy of Music in Kassel, the Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Tanz (Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts), in Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany. They also studied under Michael Lewin at the Royal Academy of Music in London[2][4]. Celebrated artists in their own right today, the twins in turn give masterclasses to younger musicians.

They made their Carnegie Hall debut in 1998. Katona have toured widely, playing Ireland[5] and other world cities; they have played at the Royal Festival Hall and Wigmore Hall in London[2], and at the Cheltenham International Music Festival in 2004, with the London Sinfonietta[6]. Michael Berkeley composed a double concerto for performance by the twins there[7]. Concert schedule for 2007 include venues in Japan, France, Germany, and the United States[8].

[edit] Awards

  • First Prize, "Concours International de Guitarre en Duo", Montélimar, France (1993)
  • First Prize, "International Music Competition for Guitar Duos", Bubenreuth, Germany (1993)
  • Cultural Prize of the City of Kassel, Germany (1993)
  • S. T. Johnson Foundation prize (1995)
  • The Laura Ashley prize (1996)
  • Young Concert Artist Trust auditions in London (1997)[9]
  • Concert Artists Guild Competition, New York (1998)[10]
  • Borletti-Buitoni prize (2004)[7], the trust's first ever award to guitarists.

[edit] Other

Katona serve as jury members for the 2nd International Guitar Festival Heinsberg 2007[11]

[edit] Discography

  • Isaac Albéniz, España, Iberia, Mallorca, (1997), Channel Classics CCS 10397 1
  • Joaquín Rodrigo, Concierto Madrigal; Tonadillas, (1998), Channel Classics CCS 16698 1 Reviews: Musicweb, Editor's Choice, Gramophone, Feb 2002[12]
  • Sonatas - Scarlatti & Handel, (1998), Channel Classics CCS 14298 Reviews: The Flying Inkpot
  • Ástor Piazzolla, Le Grand Tango, (2004), Channel Classics CCS 19804 Reviews: Classics Today, Audiophile Audition, Oakland Tribune Klassik.com(German)
  • Piazzolla, Mozart, Granados, de Falla

[edit] References

  1. ^ Katona Twins - Press Reviews. Margaret Murphy Management. Retrieved on 2007-03-30.
  2. ^ a b c Katona Twins. Peoplesound. Retrieved on 2007-03-30.
  3. ^ Symphony for two:Twin peaks of classical music. The Daily Telegraph (March 21, 2005). Retrieved on 2007-03-30.
  4. ^ Concert cycles. Hermana Brauna Fonds (November, 2005). Retrieved on 2007-03-30.
  5. ^ Katona Guitar Duo 14 - 28 Feb 2002. The Music Network (2002). Retrieved on 2007-03-30.
  6. ^ Clements, Andrew (July 7, 2004). London Sinfonietta, Cheltenham Festival. The Guardian. Retrieved on 2007-03-30.
  7. ^ a b Borletti-Buitoni Trust Awards 2004. Borletti-Buitoni Trust (March 21, 2005). Retrieved on 2007-03-30.
  8. ^ Dates. Katona (2007). Retrieved on 2007-03-30.
  9. ^ YCAT Artists Past & Present. Young Concert Artist Trust. Retrieved on 2007-03-30.
  10. ^ Alumni: Past Competition Winners. Concert Artists Guild. Retrieved on 2007-03-30.
  11. ^ Jury. International Guitar Festival Heinsberg (2007). Retrieved on 2007-03-30.
  12. ^ A young hungarian guitar duo show great promise in a recital of Rodrigo rarities. Gramophone (Feb 2002). Retrieved on 2007-03-30.
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