Biography
Gergely Ittzés (1969-) studied at the Kecskemét Zoltán Kodály Secondary Music School with Ákos Dratsay and with Henrik Prőhle at the Budapest Liszt Academy of Music where he was strongly influenced by the chamber music classes with György Kurtág and Ferenc Rados. After graduating, he spent a year at the international Prague Mozart Academy then a few months at the Banff Centre for the Arts. He participated in numerous master courses (with András Adorján, Pierre-Yves Artaud, Michel Debost, Michael Faust, Jean-Claude Gérard, István Matuz, Auréle Nicolet, Carol Wincenc etc.) and won prizes in national (1982, 1986) and international (1987 Rome, 1988 Duino, 1992 Szeged) flute competitions. In 1998 he won the Grand Prix of the Aleksander Tansman IInd International Competition for Musical Personalities in Poland . In 1992 and 2003 he received a prize for quality work from Artisjus, the Hungarian Copyright Office. In 1998 and 1999 he was supported by the Annie Fischer Grant offered for promissing young soloists. In 2001 he was awarded the Franz Liszt Prize.
Under the direct and indirect influence of István Matuz he turned his attention to the most modern technique of the flute and the new possibilities of the instrument inspired his own compositions as well. His Chart of Double-Stops includes about 400 fingerings. He also led master classes and gave lectures about extended flute techniques in Hungary, the Czech Republic, Poland, Germany, Belgium, England, Brazil, China, Canada and the USA . He often plays contemporary music with Hungary 's contemporary music ensembles and gives recitals. As the member of the UMZE Ensemble he has often performed and recorded under the direction of Péter Eötvös in the soloist's role as well. The group performed at Carnegie Hall in January, 2009.
Numerous composers have written and dedicated works for Gergely Ittzés. In April 2005 he gave the world premiere of Anthony Newman's Flute Concerto at the Budapest Spring Festival, conducted by the author. He was a guest at international flute festival in Hungary and Brazília, Frankfurt, Atlanta, Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Beijing, Paris.
His wide repertory includes a large number of rarities in addition to the well-known pieces of flute literature, he plays complete series of works as sonatas and organ trios by J. S. Bach, sonatas by C. Ph. E. Bach, Haendel, Mozart, Weber and Boismortier, quartets by Mozart, fantasies by Telemann, etc. During the 2001-2002 concert season Ittzés gave a series of four concerts in Budapest introducing the 'Flute Bible' , the major works composed for flute and piano or flute solo. In 2003 he founded the TeTraVERSI Flute Quartet with his former pupils.
In addition to classical and modern music, several other styles have also influenced his musical idiom. He was a member and composer of the ethno-jazzrock band, Talizmán for ten years and has performed and recorded in several other jazz formations (Makám, Emil Viklicky, Markus Stockhausen Possible Worlds Orchestra, Leni Stern, Don Thompson, Bop Art Orchestra, etc.).
He teaches flute in Győr at the Széchenyi University. He habilitated in 2007.
The Lexikon der Flöte published in Germany in 2009 includes an individual article about his activity.
He has recorded 10 CDs . Besides them he has recorded with musicians like Miklós Perényi, Zoltán Rácz, Magdalena Kožena and others.
Gergely Ittzés plays a Sankyo (www.sankyoflute.com) Pure Silver flute.
¤ Talizmán in Concert - CD 1995, JOKA 1003
¤ Multiple Ego (Többes én) - CD 1996, Í ves könyvek 11.
¤ Franz Doppler: Works for flute - CD 1997, Pannon Classic, PCL 8001
¤ Solos. 20 th century Hungarian works for flute - CD 1999, Hungaroton 31785
¤ The Mill of Time or The Art of Canon; Works for flutes by József Sári - CD 1999, Fonó Records Fa-053-2
¤ Late-romantic Impressions by Sigfrid Karg-Elert - CD 2000, Hungaroton 31925
¤ Violin Works on Flute - CD 2000, FTM 0016
¤ Chamber Music with flute by P. M. Dubois - CD 2004, Hungaroton HCD 32269
¤ 'Ittzés plays Newman' Complete works for flute by Anthony Newman - CD 2004, 903 Records, NY
¤ TeTraVERSI: Fictive Memories - CD 2006, FTM 0032
¤ Flute for Four - CD 2007, FTM 0044
¤ Eugéne Walckiers: Chamber Music with Flute - CD 2008, Hungaroton HCD 32562
¤ Extended Circles (Ittzés plays Ittzés) - CD 2008
As a chamber or soloist musician also heard on:
¤ Mezei Szilárd Ensemble: Desert - CD 2008, Creative Sources Recordings, CS 115
¤ Carl Reinecke: Sextet - CD 2005, Hungaroton HCD 32277
¤ Zoltán Gyöngyössy - CD 2002, BMC 074
¤ Dukay: Over the Face of the Deep - CD 2001, BMC 052
¤ Aleksander Tansman IInd International Competition of Musical Personalities - CD 1999, Acte Préalable 0017
¤ Eötvös: Psalm 151, Psy, Triangel - CD 1999, BIS 948
¤ Battuta: Nünüke esete - CD 1998, Binder Music Manufactury BMM 9802
¤ Lelkes állatok: Na mi a helyzet? - MC 1997
¤ Makám: Café Babel - CD 1997, Fonó Records FA-029-2
¤ Emil Viklický: Duets - CD1997, Lotos 0052-2 0531
¤ Emil Viklický: Homage to Josip Plečnik - CD 1996, Lotos 0036-2 131 (with Magdalena Kožena a.o.)
¤ Milan Slavický: Chamber Music - CD 1996, Matous 0051-2-931
¤ Young Composers Group - CD 1995, Hungaroton
¤ Szemző: The Conscience - CD 1993, Leo Records LR 185
Forthcoming:
¤ Michael Hynes: Believe Everything You Hear
Studio recordings for the Hungarian Radio:
Dohnányi: Air, Sonata in C # minor; Hába: Fantasy; Sári: Arion's song - The Dolphin's Way; Weber: Sonata in A flat major; Farkas: 33 battute per Angelica, Meditazione
¤ Chuang Tse's Dream - 1993, author's edition
¤ Just a Tube; Five Etudes - 1994, Trio Art Music
¤ Chart of Double-stops on the Flute - 1997, author's edition
¤ 'Mr. Dick Is Thinking In Terms Of a Blues-Pattern' - 2003, author's edition
¤ Ittzés: Multiphonic Sound Poems - Akkord Music Publishers A-1237
¤ Ittzés Gergely, fuvolás ( a book in Hungarian ) - 1996, Íves könyvek 11.
¤ Dohnányi: Sonata in C# minor Op. 21. (arr. for flute and piano by G. Ittzés) - 2005, Akkord Music Publishers A-1097 www.akkordmusic.hu
Masterclasses :
Doppler Institute, Budapest, Hódmezővásárhely, Békés, Pécel Summer Academy, Veszprém Auer Academy (Hungary); Komarno (Slovakia); Novi Sad (YU) Katowice Academy of Music (Pl), Mannheim (Germany); Leuven (Belgium); Moscow (Russia); Brazília (4x); Toronto University, Banff Centre for the Arts (Canada); SUNY Purchase University (USA); Beijing, Shanghai, Dalian, Shenyan, Chengdu (China)
Lectures and presentations about the extended flute techniques for flutists and composers:
F. Liszt Academy of Music, Budapest (Hungary); Martinu Academy of Music, Prague (Czech Republic); Dresdner Zentrum für die Neue Musik; Hochschule für Musik, Düsseldorf, Leipzig, Mannheim, Mainz, Stuttgart (Germany); Conservatoire, Brussels (Belgien); Guildhall, London; Manhattan School of Music, NYC; New York University; SUNY Stony Brook University (USA); Saskatoon University, Canada;