Antal Doráti Competition, its story, its numbers

The competition was founded in 2014 by Artes Association  in cooperation with MÁV Szimfonikus Zenekar (known on the International market as Budapest Symphony Orchestra MAV), an orchestra whose story dates back to 1945 and that as worked until now with conductors and soloists such as Charles Dutoit, Antonello Allemandi, Peter Eötvös, Gábor Takács-Nagy, Péter Csaba, Maxim Vengerov, Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, Kiri Te Kanawa, Roberto Alagna, Lazar Bermann, David Geringas, György Cziffra, Jenő Jandó,Tamás Vásáry, Zoltán Kocsis, Miklós Perényi etc.

Artes and MAV laid the basis for its development by establishing partnerships with the most important Hungarian Institutions, such as Liszt Academy, MUPA, and the Hungarian National Television.

Among the International Institutions that have been represented in the competition, both directly or through a member of the jury, there are Verbier Festival, Warner Classics, G. Verdi Conservatoire in Milan, Accademia di Santa Cecilia, Orquesta de Extremadura, Armenian State Symphony Orchestra, Festival de Santander, etc.

The competition’s first edition counted 128 participants from 23 different countries while 220 conductors applied from five continents to the second edition.
The third edition reached a peak of 360 applications worldwide.

The first, second, and third editions of the competition were structured in an eliminatory phase based on the examination of videos, then a live phase with orchestra in Budapest.

For the first time, the fourth edition will have an eliminatory phase with pianos in two different continents: America and Europe, to offer to the highest possible number of conductors the possibility to show their talent live, without needing to travel long distances.

Considered today one of the most relevant events of its kind in the world, it’s importance testified by the careers of the winners and the high level of the members of the jury and of the institutions involved.

Until now, these are the musicians who took part to the jury of the competition:

Albiach Alvaro, Spain 2018
Allemandi Antonello, Italy 2025
Axelrod John , USA 2021
Borgonovo Pietro, Italy 2015
Caetani Oleg, Switzerland 2021
Conte Pierangelo, Italy, 2025
Csaba Péter, Hungary 2018
Di Rosa Francesco, Italy, 2025
Duczmal-Mróz Anna, Poland 2021
Engström Martin, Sweden 2021
Eötvös Péter, Hungary 2018
Erdl Florian, Germany, 2025
Franz Robert, USA 2021
Györiványi Ráth György, Hungary 2025
Lee Deun, South Korea, 2025
Lee Hae, USA – South Korea, 2025
Lendvai György, Hungary 2015, 2018
Levy Benjamin, France, 2025
Maschio Elisabetta, Italy 2025
Michailidis Myron, Greece 2021
Moon Jin-Tak, South Korea 2021
Parisi Vittorio, Italy 2015, 2021
Peleggi Valentina, USA – Italy, 2025
Puskás Péter, Austria, 2025
Rácz Márton, Hungary 2018
Shaburov Anton, Russian Federation, 2025
Smbatyan Sergei, Armenia 2021
Tchobanov Dian, Bulgaria 2018
Vásáry Tamás,Hungary 2015, 2018
Vitello Andrea, Italy 2015, 2018
Willshire Matt, USA, 2025

Remi Durupt (France) Winner
Omar El Jamali (Morocco) Second Prize

The third edition of the competition was held in Budapest from 4th until 11th  2021 and the final concert took place at the most iconic place of Budapest: the Ferenc Liszt Music Academy, founded by Franz Listz in 1875.

The winner, Remi Durupt, has worked since then with orchestras and Ensembles such as Ensemble Modern, Orchestre National de Bretagne, Orchestre National d’Ile-De -France, Chamber Orchestra Luxembourg, Armenian State Symphony Orchestra, Anhaltische Philharmonie Dessau and Gürzenich Orchester Köln.

He was also chosen by Péter Eötvös for his mentoring program and as his assistant, he worked with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam and the Berliner Philharmoniker in Berlin.

The honorary President of the competition was Martin Engstroem.

Henry Cheng (Popular Republic of China) first prize
Lien Boon Hua (Singapore) second prize
Ryusuke Kawakami (Japan) third prize

The second edition of the competition was held from 5th until 12th November 2018 at Vigadó (the legendary concert hall where Mahler conducted the premiere of his first symphony with the Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra, on Wednesday 20th November 1889) and the winner was Henry Cheng from China.

Shortly after getting his prize Cheng became Associate Conductor of Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in the USA and became shortly after Artistic Director of Klangkraft Orchester in Duisburg.

Orkhan Hashimov and Olivier Ochanine, shared First Prize
Joost Smeets, second prize

The first edition took place in Budapest from 23rd until 28th November 2015.

The winners were Orkhan Hashimov and Olivier Ochanine who shared the first prize, and the President of the jury was the legendary Tamás Vásáry.

After the competition, Ochanine developed a first class career in South Eastern Asia being Music Director of the Philippine National Philharmonic Orchestra and then Music Director of Sun Symphony Orchestra in Vietnam.
Orkhan Hashimov from Azerbaijan, became Principal Conductor at Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre.

Antal Doráti Competition, its story, its numbers

The competition was founded in 2014 by Artes Association  in cooperation with MÁV Szimfonikus Zenekar (known on the International market as Budapest Symphony Orchestra MAV), an orchestra whose story dates back to 1945 and that as worked until now with conductors and soloists such as Charles Dutoit, Antonello Allemandi, Peter Eötvös, Gábor Takács-Nagy, Péter Csaba, Maxim Vengerov, Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, Kiri Te Kanawa, Roberto Alagna, Lazar Bermann, David Geringas, György Cziffra, Jenő Jandó,Tamás Vásáry, Zoltán Kocsis, Miklós Perényi etc.

Artes and MAV laid the basis for its development by establishing partnerships with the most important Hungarian Institutions, such as Liszt Academy, MUPA, and the Hungarian National Television.

Among the International Institutions that have been represented in the competition, both directly or through a member of the jury, there are Verbier Festival, Warner Classics, G. Verdi Conservatoire in Milan, Accademia di Santa Cecilia, Orquesta de Extremadura, Armenian State Symphony Orchestra, Festival de Santander, etc.

The competition’s first edition counted 128 participants from 23 different countries while 220 conductors applied from five continents to the second edition.
The third edition reached a peak of 360 applications worldwide.

The first, second, and third editions of the competition were structured in an eliminatory phase based on the examination of videos, then a live phase with orchestra in Budapest.

For the first time, the fourth edition will have an eliminatory phase with pianos in two different continents: America and Europe, to offer to the highest possible number of conductors the possibility to show their talent live, without needing to travel long distances.

Considered today one of the most relevant events of its kind in the world, it’s importance testified by the careers of the winners and the high level of the members of the jury and of the institutions involved.

Until now, these are the musicians who took part to the jury of the competition:

Albiach Alvaro, Spain 2018
Allemandi Antonello, Italy 2025
Axelrod John , USA 2021
Borgonovo Pietro, Italy 2015
Caetani Oleg, Switzerland 2021
Conte Pierangelo, Italy, 2025
Csaba Péter, Hungary 2018
Di Rosa Francesco, Italy, 2025
Duczmal-Mróz Anna, Poland 2021
Engström Martin, Sweden 2021
Eötvös Péter, Hungary 2018
Erdl Florian, Germany, 2025
Franz Robert, USA 2021
Györiványi Ráth György, Hungary 2025
Lee Deun, South Korea, 2025
Lee Hae, USA – South Korea, 2025
Lendvai György, Hungary 2015, 2018
Levy Benjamin, France, 2025
Maschio Elisabetta, Italy 2025
Michailidis Myron, Greece 2021
Moon Jin-Tak, South Korea 2021
Parisi Vittorio, Italy 2015, 2021
Peleggi Valentina, USA – Italy, 2025
Puskás Péter, Austria, 2025
Rácz Márton, Hungary 2018
Shaburov Anton, Russian Federation, 2025
Smbatyan Sergei, Armenia 2021
Tchobanov Dian, Bulgaria 2018
Vásáry Tamás,Hungary 2015, 2018
Vitello Andrea, Italy 2015, 2018
Willshire Matt, USA, 2025

Remi Durupt (France) Winner
Omar El Jamali (Morocco) Second Prize

The third edition of the competition was held in Budapest from 4th until 11th  2021 and the final concert took place at the most iconic place of Budapest: the Ferenc Liszt Music Academy, founded by Franz Listz in 1875.

The winner, Remi Durupt, has worked since then with orchestras and Ensembles such as Ensemble Modern, Orchestre National de Bretagne, Orchestre National d’Ile-De -France, Chamber Orchestra Luxembourg, Armenian State Symphony Orchestra, Anhaltische Philharmonie Dessau and Gürzenich Orchester Köln.

He was also chosen by Péter Eötvös for his mentoring program and as his assistant, he worked with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam and the Berliner Philharmoniker in Berlin.

The honorary President of the competition was Martin Engstroem.

Henry Cheng (Popular Republic of China) first prize
Lien Boon Hua (Singapore) second prize
Ryusuke Kawakami (Japan) third prize

The second edition of the competition was held from 5th until 12th November 2018 at Vigadó (the legendary concert hall where Mahler conducted the premiere of his first symphony with the Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra, on Wednesday 20th November 1889) and the winner was Henry Cheng from China.

Shortly after getting his prize Cheng became Associate Conductor of Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in the USA and became shortly after Artistic Director of Klangkraft Orchester in Duisburg.

Orkhan Hashimov and Olivier Ochanine, shared First Prize
Joost Smeets, second prize

The first edition took place in Budapest from 23rd until 28th November 2015.

The winners were Orkhan Hashimov and Olivier Ochanine who shared the first prize, and the President of the jury was the legendary Tamás Vásáry.

After the competition, Ochanine developed a first class career in South Eastern Asia being Music Director of the Philippine National Philharmonic Orchestra and then Music Director of Sun Symphony Orchestra in Vietnam.
Orkhan Hashimov from Azerbaijan, became Principal Conductor at Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre.