Amadinda Percussion Group has been formed in 1984 in Budapest by four musicians, just after having graduated from the Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music. When founding the ensemble central point of their activity has been double. On one hand to present masterpieces of percussion music, unknown to the Hungarian audience so far, on the other hand to perform the music of Hungarian contemporary composers in their country and abroad. One of their principal intention is to inspire Hungarian and international composers to create new pieces. During the recent years three more new elements have been added to their aims: research of traditional percussion cultures, composing new pieces by the members of the group and transcribing outstanding pieces of music history for percussion instruments. From the very beginning Amadinda has cooperated with world famous artists like John Cage, Bruno Canino, Peter Eotvos, Rosemary Hardy, Andras Keller, Zoltán Kocsis, György Kurtag, Andras Schiff. Nowadays Amadinda is considered as one of the most original and versatile percussion group all over the world.
MEMBERS
Zoltán Racz (artistic director) – professor of Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music Budapest, founding member and principal tympanist of Budapest Festival Orchestra between 1992 and 1996, member of advisory board of Budapest Spring Festival since 1997.
Zoltán Váczi – leader of research of traditional music. His percussion compositions are regularly performed by Amadinda.
Aurél Holló – appointed teacher of Beta Bartók Conservatory Budapest. He graduated also as composer. Well known percussion soloist.
Károly Bojtos – leader of program researching and developing instruments for Amadinda.
AWARDS
1984Darmstadt Stipendium Prize
1985Gaudeamus Music Competition Amsterdam, First Prize
1985Award of Hungarian Radio for Hungarian Premiere of Persephassa by Xenakis
1986Prize of Hungarian Composers’ Association for outstanding interpretation of
Hungarian works
1987Recording of the Year by Hungaroton
1988Ferenc Liszt Prize by the Hungarian Government
1991Prize of the Hungarian Composers’ Association
1997Order of Merit of the Hungarian Republic
1998Prize of the Hungarian Composers’ Association
Important concerts and master classes
Zagreb Biennale 1987
London, First European Percussion Festival, 1988
Warszaw Autumn 1989
London, Queen Elisabeth Hall 1989 world premiere of Village Burial by Fire by J.Wood
Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival 1989
Series of 20 concerts performing pieces by Steve Reich 1989-90
European tour with Andras Schiff (Mondsee Festival, London, Berlin Festival) 1989
Paris, Festival d’Autumne 1990
Bath Festival 1990
Viitasaari Contemporary Festival, Finland 1991
Prague Spring 1992
Tour in Japan 1992 world premiere of Four4 by John Cage in Tokyo
Budapest, First International Percussion Festival 1993
Berlin Biennale 1993
Italian tour with Bruno Canino and Antonio Ballista 1993
Sydney Spring Festival 1994
European tour with Zoltan Kocsis (La Roque d’Antheron, Essen, Badenweiler) 1995
Taipei, Second International Percussion Convention 1996
Warszaw Autumn 1996
Edinburgh 1997
Lissabon Expo Day of Percussion 1998
New York WNYC Radio 1998
Budapest, Second International Percussion Festival 1999
Espinho Festival di Musica, Portugal 1999
Tour in Taiwan (Taipei, Taichung, Tainan, I Lan) 1999
Berlin Akademie der Kunste 1999
Norway tour 1999
Tallin 2000
Warszaw Perkusja 2000
Stuttgart Treffpunkt 2000
Espinho Festival di Musica, Portugal 2000
Hannover Expo Day of Percussion 2000
Mexico City 2000
Metz, world premiere of the new Ligeti niece composed for Amadinda 2000
Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival 2000
Gütersloh Ligeti Festival 2000
Paris Journees de la Percussion 2000
Geneva Suisse Romande 2000
Dallas Percussive Arts Society Convention 2000
MASTERCLASSES
Szombathely, Hungary Bartók-New Music Festival 1990
Darmstadt Ferienkurse fur neue Musik (Z.Rácz) 1996
Groznjan Bach Percussion Seminar (Z.Rácz) 1997
Yale University 1998
New York Juillard School 1998
Szombathely, Hungary Bartók-New Music Festival 1998
Japan – Senzoku Gakuen College of Music, Toho Gakuen College of Music,
Nagoya College of Music, Studio of NHK Symphony Orchestra 1999
Taipei First International Percussion Summer Camp (Z. Rácz) 1999
Discography
Amadinda recordings
Amadinda 1987 Hungaroton HCD 12855
4′ 33″ 1988 Hungaroton HCD 12991
Works by Steve Reich 1990 Hungaroton HCD 31358
Amadinda Live 1991 Hungaroton-Quintana Qui 903081
Zorr 1992 Hungaroton-Gong HCD 37669
Legacies no. 1 1998 Hungaroton HCD 31813
Legacies no.2 1999 Complete Percussion Music by John Cage vol. l
HCD 31844
Legacies no. 3 2000 Complete Percussion Music by John Cage vol. 2
HCD 31845
Legacies no. 4 2000 Complete Percussion Music by John Cage vol. 3
HCD 31846
Pieces for Percussion
composed by Peter Eötvös 1999 BIS-CD-948
Other recordings
Stravinsky Les Noces Hungaroton SLPD, HCD 12989
Bartók Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion DECCA 443894-2
(with András Schiff and Bruno Canino)
Sándor Balassa Quartetto Hungaroton SLPX 12557
Miklós Sugar Dissolvings Hungaroton SLPX 12970
Géza Gémesi Quartetto Hungaroton SLPX 12945
István Márta The Wind Springs Up Hungaroton SPLX 17963
László Kiraly Three Movements for Percussion Hungaroton SPLX 31354
István Lang Chagall flies away over his sleeping Vitebsk Hungaroton HCD 31641Upcoming recordings
Lou Harrison Violin Concerto (With Andras Keller) ECM
Percussion Music by John Cage Complete Edition Hungaroton
2001–2002
2ool
Zagreb Biennale
tour in Australia
Taipei International Percussion Festival
Venise Biennale
tour in France
2002
tour in Taiwan and Chorea
Dartmouth College USA
