Created: 2025.11.04. 10:56
An album recorded in collaboration with the Győr Symphonic Band, the wind orchestra of Széchenyi István University, has made it onto the nomination list for one of the world’s most prestigious music awards, the Grammy. The recording, created together with British clarinettist Peter Cigleris, was entered in the Classical Instrumental Solo category by the UK-based label SOMM Recordings.
The Grammy Awards, often referred to as the “Oscars of Music”, are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences of the United States. The award, a statuette modelled on a golden gramophone, has been presented since 1958. It recognises musicians, performers, songwriters, and producers who demonstrate outstanding achievement across the Academy’s defined musical categories. The entries for next year’s awards were recently made public, and among the nominated recordings in the Classical Instrumental Solo category is the album Clarinet Concertos by British clarinettist Peter Cigleris, featuring the Győr Symphonic Band. The recording will be evaluated by thousands of professional members of the Academy, who will vote to determine whether the production advances to the final nominations.
László Marosi (left) and Ferenc Szabó (right), conductors of the Győr Symphonic Band, with British clarinettist Peter Cigleris (Photo: Széchenyi István University)
The Győr Symphonic Band, composed of professional musicians and lecturers from Széchenyi István University, is a prominent player in Hungary’s wind music scene. The orchestra performs regularly at international festivals and has achieved significant success in the past. Their first album, for instance, topped the International Tuba and Euphonium Association’s chart in 2016. “It is an immense joy and source of pride for us that our recording was not only praised by the world-renowned Gramophone magazine but has also been entered onto the Grammy nomination list by our publisher. The next stage will depend on professional votes, and although international recognition is always a challenge to achieve, reaching this point is already an extraordinary result. For the students and lecturers of our University, it is a great privilege to have participated in such a prestigious project,” said Ferenc Szabó, Hidas Frigyes Award-winning conductor of the orchestra and music lecturer at the Faculty of Design and Performance Arts of Széchenyi István University.
Ferenc Szabó, Hidas Frigyes Award-winning conductor of the Győr Symphonic Band, and music lecturer at Széchenyi István University’s Faculty of Design and Performance Arts. (Photo: András Adorján)
The story of the recording traces back to the European Clarinet Festival held in Győr. The experience gained there, combined with the professionalism of the Győr Symphonic Band, led Peter Cigleris to invite the ensemble to collaborate on his new album. The British clarinettist performs regularly as a soloist and chamber musician throughout Europe and the United States. He is an acclaimed performer, known for producing several world premiere recordings, and has appeared on BBC Radio 3’s In Tune, one of the most prestigious live classical music broadcasts, which features only internationally recognised artists.
“I first met Ferenc Szabó and the Győr orchestra in the summer of 2021 when I had the honour of opening the European Clarinet Festival in Győr with a performance of Frigyes Hidas’s Concerto Semplice. As a British artist, performing a well-known Hungarian piece in Hungary with a Hungarian ensemble was a particular challenge, but from the very first rehearsal, I could feel that our collaboration would be a success. The musicians’ skill and the conductor’s leadership made a strong impression on me. Creating Clarinet Concertos and the time I spent in Győr left me with many wonderful memories. The fact that the album has reached the Grammy nomination phase is a testament to the professionalism and dedication that every member of the Győr Symphonic Band contributed to this recording. I sincerely hope we can continue our collaboration in the future—it would be a great joy to make music together again and explore other works for clarinet and wind orchestra,” said Peter Cigleris.
According to SOMM Recordings’ statement, the album features four highly engaging clarinet concertos, including Concerto Semplice by Frigyes Hidas, one of the outstanding works of Hungarian wind music tradition. The recording also includes compositions by Simon Milton, David Maslanka, and Satoshi Yagisawa. The album presents two world premiere recordings conducted by the two conductors of the Győr Symphonic Band – László Marosi and Ferenc Szabó.
Cover of the world-renowned clarinettist Peter Cigleris’s album Clarinet Concertos
(Photo: SOMM Recordings)
