András Ligeti

András Ligeti established an international reputation both as a violinist and conductor. Born in 1953 in Pecs, Hungary, he studied violin and conducting at Budapest's Franz Liszt Academy. Immediately following his graduation in 1977, he was appointed both concert master and conductor of the Hungarian State Opera, positions he held until 1985. He then became associate conductor of the Budapest Symphony Orchestra and in 1997 he was appointed music director of the Hungarian Symphony Orchestra. He accepted the position of music director of the Taipei Symphony Orchestra in 2005. Ligeti worked consistently as a guest conductor with both orchestras and opera houses, including Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, the BBC Philharmonic, the Dresden Philharmonic, the Mahler Youth Orchestra, the Berlin Radio Symphony, the Israel Philharmonic, Academia Santa Cecilia, Opera North, and the Perth Festival. He recorded extensively, particularly focusing on Hungarian music and contemporary music. András Ligeti died on September 19, 2021 at the age of 68.