Marián Lapšanský

Born in Tisovec, associated with the Bratislava Conservatory, Academy of Performing Arts Prague (class of František Maxián and Jan Panenka) and Moscow P. I. Tchaikovsky Conservatory (with Viktor Merzanov), he has spread the good name of Slovak musical culture in the world for a few decades. His prestigious career has been marked by many successes and awards, such as Absolute Winner in the Smetana Contest in Hradec Kralove (1970), award for best interpretation of Mozart’s compositions (1972), Anda–Bührle Award for best participant (1973) in the master interpretation courses of Geza Anda in Zurich, the State Award for the interpretation of Sergej Prokofiev and for Czechoslovak concert art promotion abroad (1985), Golden OPUS Award for best Brahms’ sonata recording (1987), Supraphon award “Golden Harmony” for the CD of Rachmaninov and Schnittke and Pärt award “Classic” for the recording of the year 1997 (12 CD with Fibich’s piano cycles Moods, Impressions and Souvenirs), “Daliborka” award for the best recording of 1998 (work of Leoš Janáček), the prestigious Gustav Mahler European Award (2002) granted by the European Art Union in cooperation with the European Union for creative musical activities, unconventional and progressive contribution to culture and support of music. As soloist he appears in major international festivals (Prague Spring, Wiener Festwochen, Salzburger Festspiele, Berliner Festispiele, Dresden Musikfestspiele, Festival de Saint Lazier, Budapest Music Weeks, Cardiff Music Festival, Festival de Musica de Canaries, International Festival Echternach, Sofia Music Weeks, Summer Festival in Dubrovnik), cooperates with prestigious orchestral ensembles (Wiener Kammerorchester, Budapest Strings, Berliner Symphonie Orchester, Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra, Dresden Staatskapelle, Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, Johannesburg Philharmonic, North Bay Symphony Orchestra Canada), performs in piano duets (mainly with Peter Toperczer or Eugen Indjic), and regularly takes part in chamber partnerships with outstanding instrumentalists and vocal soloists (Eva Garajová, Peter Dvorský, Gabriela Beňačková, Magdaléna Hajóssyova, Sergej Kopčák, Jelena Obrazcovová, Dagmar Peckova, Peter Schreier, Josef Suk, Raphael Wallfish). Marián Lapšanský is an influential and internationally recognized authority in the field of pedagogy and events management. He teaches at art academies in Prague, Bratislava and Banská Bystrica, he has led master classes in Tokyo and at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest, he has taught at the Summer Academy in Semmering, Austria (run by the Music University in Vienna). Marian Lapsansky initiated the formation of the Johannes Nepomuk Hummel International Piano Contest in Bratislava and currently acts as its president. He founded the Cyril and Method Foundation to support young artist in 1990 and in 1991 initiated the Festival of Young Pentagonala Concert Artists (currently Central European Festival of Concert Art in Žilina). Mr. Lapšanský holds the position of General Director of the Slovak Philharmonic since 2004.