SZŐNYI Erzsėbet (), Concerto per Organo e Orchestra (1958)

New Zealand Première: Myles Hartley, Organist. Ensemble Polymnia: Sarah Bisley, Conductor. Performed in the programme “Psalmus Hungaricus“ on 7th June 2015, at the Q Theatre, Auckland, New Zealand. I. Allegro moderato II. Andante III. Allegro moderato In this evening’s concert, Erzsébet Szőnyi is the only living Hungarian composer represented, and a very real link to Zoltán Kodály. Professor Szőnyi, living on Buda hill, is now 91 years old – and was a student, then colleague and friend of Kodály and his first wife Emma. Following training at Hungary’s most prestigious institutes under such teachers as Ernő Szegedi, Leó Weiner, János Viski and Kodály (for studies in folk music) from 1943-1947, she went on to study in Paris with Nadia Boulanger and Olivier Messiaen; at a very young age she became a Professor at the Liszt Academy in Budapest, and was entrusted by Kodály with great responsibilities. She is an exceptional huma