Tickets on Sale for ARMEL OPERA FESTIVAL Presents Young Virtuosos From Hungary

Tickets are on sale beginning Friday, January 20th for Young Virtuosos From Hungary - TAMÁS KÖKÉNY, DOUBLE BASS AND FRIENDS. It is being presented by the Armel Opera Festival. This special concert is on Wednesday, March 1 at 8:00 pm at Well Recital Hall (Carnegie Hall). The program is being performed by Tamás Kökény (contrabass), Zoltán Sándor (violin), Kármen Stephany Boateng (piano), Apor Szüts (piano, zongora), and Mihály Demeniv (accordion). The varied program will include some concert classics by some of Hungary's famous composers, and those of other world renowned composers as well as some songs from contemporary motion pictures. Tickets are only $35 and $45.

Tamás Kökény was born in Budapest in 1999. At the age of 3 he started to play the violin. He commenced his studies at Józsefváros Music Academy at 6, then continued at Weiner Leo Music Academy. At 13, he exchanged the violin for the double bass. He is a student of the Bartók Béla Conservatory. In the summer of 2015 he collaborate with the internationally acclaimed artists: violist Yuri Bashmet and the conductors Alondra De La Parra and Daniel Harding. Tamás has participated in the first and second series of the talent show Virtuózok. Fort he first he did not make it to the finals, however, in the second series he came out as not only the winner in his age group but also as number 1 virtuoso of the entire competition. He plays 12 instruments including the dulcimer, the violin and the double bass. Since the latter stands the nearest to his heart, he wishes to pursue his studies and music career as a double bassist.

Zoltán Sándor was born in 1996 in Budapest. Inspired by his musician father, at the age of 8 he began to play the violin. At 12 he was admitted to the Special School for Exceptional Young Talents at Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music, where he currently pursues his studies. He has performed a duo with Nigel Kennedy, and was a soloist of The National Philharmonics. He gave a solo concert in the Tokyo Concert Hall and in the Osaka Symphony.. Some of his awards include: Zoltán Kodály International Violin Competition, Galanta; National Violin Duo Competition for the 125th Anniversary of Béla Bartók's birth, Budapest; Dezs? Rados Violin Competition, Budapest; Alba Regia Competition for Chamber Music, Szekesfehervar; International Zathureczky Memorial Competition; and the Jauno Zvaigzn?šu Festival, Latvia.

Stephany Kármen Boateng was born 1998 in Nagyatád, Hungary. She commenced her piano studies at the age of 6 and she was awarded first prize at her first competition, in 2005. Since then, she has achieved national and international success. She was won at the International Béla Bartók Piano Competition in Vienna; György Ferenczy Piano Competition of National Art Schools; International Mozart Piano Competition in Rome, and International Chopin Piano Competition for Young Pianists.

Apor Szüts was born in 1993 in Budapest. He comes from a family of musicians - his great-grandfather was Imre Ungár, a Kossuth and Liszt Prize winner pianist and his grandfather was István Ungár, a music pedagogist. He is also a composer and the conductor of the Mandák Choir of the Cantor Training Institutet. He founded and conducts the ApOrchestra Symphonic Orchestra. Apor has participated in several competitions as a pianist and composer winning numerous awards.

Mihály Demeniv was born in Ukraine in 1991. He received at age 4 his first instrument from his parents - his father is an accordionist and his mother is a music teacher. At 8 years old, he won the "Silver Bell" International Accordion Competition. The family moved to Hungary in 2003 and his successes were followed by several international competitions awards: Città di Castelfidardo International Accordion Competition in Italy; Coupe Jeunesse in Slovakia; Città di Lanciano International Accordion Competitions, and Akordeon Art International Accordion Competition in Bosnia Herzegovina; He graduated from Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music as an accordionist . He teaches at Vujicsics Tihamér Music School in Szentendre and at Bartók Béla Conservatory of Music in Budapest.