Created: 2025.11.11. 11:18
Bernadett Vida, a second-year master’s student in orchestral conducting at the Faculty of Design and Performance Arts of Széchenyi István University, achieved excellent results at the 4th Antal Dorati International Conducting Competition. The talented young conductor advanced to the semi-finals as the only Hungarian among the top six participants, earning her the opportunity to conduct performances in both Budapest and Győr during the next cultural season.
The Master’s in Conducting (Orchestra conductor) programme at Széchenyi István University was launched in September 2024 on the initiative of internationally renowned conductor Professor György Győriványi Ráth. The Faculty of Design and Performance Arts’ programme attracted significant domestic and international interest, and only a few talented students were admitted this year. Over the course of two years, they will specialise in orchestral conducting. The programme aims to train artists whose high-level expertise contributes to both Hungarian and universal musical culture, and who, through their knowledge of orchestral arts, are able to practise their profession at an international level.
Second-year Orchestral Conducting student Bernadett Vida recently achieved remarkable success by being the only Hungarian to reach the semi-finals of the 4th Antal Dorati International Conducting Competition. Among the top six, she represented both Hungary and Széchenyi University with excellence. This result is particularly impressive given that nearly 400 talents applied for the competition, with the best candidates selected through auditions held in Florence and Richmond, USA. Based on these rounds, 36 contestants — including only two Hungarians — advanced to the final stage in Budapest.
Bernadett Vida, second-year orchestral conducting master’s student at Széchenyi István University, reached the top six in the 4th Antal Dorati International Conducting Competition (Photo: Máté Dudás)
“The live orchestral round lasted five days. On the first two days, each of us had sixteen minutes to rehearse two pieces with the MÁV Symphony Orchestra of Budapest. It was an interesting experience to have to speak English with Hungarian musicians, since most of the jury consisted of distinguished international experts,” said Bernadett Vida. She advanced to the next round, where her excellent performance earned her a place among the top six. “In the semi-final held at the Italian Cultural Institute in Budapest, we had forty minutes to conduct two assigned pieces and to demonstrate our abilities. I learned a great deal from this round — about how to block out distractions and about myself as well. It was a truly valuable experience,” she added.
Bernadett Vida had to prepare from sixteen musical works and performed the assigned pieces with the MÁV Symphony Orchestra of Budapest
She emphasised that beyond mastering the musical works, understanding instrumentation and the composers’ stylistic characteristics were key to her preparation. The Győr Philharmonic Orchestra provided her with rehearsal opportunities, while assistant lecturer and répétiteur Ádám Király and Professor György Győriványi Ráth coached her for the competition, where she reached the semi-finals as the only Hungarian among six contestants. Her success earned her two special prizes: in the next cultural season, she will conduct one of the concerts of the Budapest Philharmonic Society, one of Hungary’s most prestigious ensembles, and — at the invitation of chief conductor and music director István Silló — she will also lead the orchestra of the Győr National Theatre in one of its musical productions.
The young artist attended a music-oriented primary school, learning to play the clarinet and later the piano. “What influenced me most was singing in a choir — that sense of community was my first step towards the conducting profession. It was clear to me that I wanted to study this further at the Liszt Academy of Music, where I earned a degree in orchestral and choral conducting. Then came a detour: I started playing jazz piano. Those were three wonderful years, but I still wanted to complete a master’s degree. At the last moment, a friend told me that Széchenyi University in Győr was launching a conducting course taught by Professor Győrgy Győriványi Ráth. After brief discussions, I knew immediately that this was where I wanted to study — and it has turned out to be an excellent decision,” she recounted.
Bernadett Vida with her mentor, Professor György Győriványi Ráth, supervisor of the Master’s in Conducting (Orchestra conductor) programme at Széchenyi István University
According to Professor György Győriványi Ráth, the internationally acclaimed conductor and supervisor of the master’s programme, his student displayed exemplary dedication even at the entrance exam and has since become a true model student. “At the Antal Dorati International Conducting Competition, all three of our students represented our institution admirably, with Bernadett Vida achieving an outstanding result. I was present as a jury member, and artists from all over the world participated — from the United States, Brazil, and even Cuba. There were no age restrictions, so pensioners and teenagers could also take part. Considering all this, Bernadett’s achievement in reaching this far is even more remarkable,” the professor explained. He expressed his gratitude to Széchenyi István University — particularly to Dr Csaba Hontvári, Dean of the Faculty of Design and Performance Arts and the initiator of the programme — for believing in the strength of the academic programme. He added that this success greatly contributes to the international recognition of the department. He also revealed that the programme’s reputation is further enhanced by the fact that one of its students, Péter Boldoghy-Kummert, will have his diploma concert performed by the Hungarian State Opera, while another, Tamás Pánczél, will collaborate with the renowned Budafok Dohnányi Orchestra for his final recital.
