Festival Artists

Mihály-Várnagy

Viola / Hungary

Mihály Várnagy, born in 1952 in Szarvas, Hungary, started his musical studies in his hometown, then went on to study in Szeged and in Budapest, and graduated at Franz Liszt Academy of Music as a student of Ferenc Halasz. Between 1976 and 1990 he was first violinist in the Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra. He was the founder and violinist of the world famous Budapest Festival Orchestra. In 1983 he was honored with the Bartok-Pasztory Award.

In 1990 he received an invitation to play the viola in the Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra where he has been the principal violist since 2000. As a chamber musician Várnagy has performed and taught master classes in several countries from Japan, Spain, Argentina to Hungary. He received the Prima Award in Hungary twice: in 2002 with the Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra and in 2008 as a chamber musician and teacher.