Bence Kutrik is an Artisjus Award-winning composer and pianist. He is the president of the Hungarian Composers’ Union, the founder and artistic director of the Danube Contemporary Music Forum, and a founding member of the STUDIO5 creative group.
He studied composition in San Francisco (San Francisco Conservatory of Music), Toronto (University of Toronto), Budapest (Liszt Academy of Music) and he participated in several composition masterclasses.
He is dedicated to writing music that speaks about our time in a contemporary language focusing on innovation and experimentation meanwhile respecting tradition. He won numerous awards for concert- and film music in North America and Europe.
His most recent research focuses on the algorithmization of musical progressions by the means of information technology and artificial intelligence.
2015: International Bartók Seminar, Szombathely, Hungary
Lecturers: Gyula Fekete and Ádám Balázs
2011 – 2014: Liszt Academy of Music – Composition MA, Budapest, Hungary
Teacher: János Vajda
2013: International Bartók Seminar, Szombathely, Hungary
Lecturers: Gyula Fekete and Csaba Faltay
2010 – 2011: Liszt Academy of Music – Opera Dramaturgy, Budapest, Hungary
Lecturer: János Vajda
2010: Canadian Contemporary Music Workshop (CCMW), Toronto, Canada
Lecturer: Gary Kulesha
2009 – 2010: University of Toronto – composition MA, Toronto, Canada
Teacher: Gary Kulesha
2005 – 2009: University of Toronto – composition BA, Toronto, Canada
Teachers: Christos Hatzis, Alexander Rapoport and Gary Kulesha
2002 – 2003: San Francisco Conservatory of Music – composition, San Francisco, USA
Teacher: Conrad Susa
1996 -2000 Gyula Erkel Music School – piano, Budapest, Hungary
Teacher: Bujdosóné Klára Pécsy
1996 – 2000: Dennis Gábor College – IT Engineer, Budapest, Hungary
1994 – 1996: SZÁMALK vocational school, programming, Budapest, Hungary
2024: Second place winner in the Petőfi 200 composition competition organized by MTVA /
Bartók Radio with the piece titled Mi kék az ég!, which is a musical setting of Sándor Petőfi's
poem of the same name.
2023 Artisjus Award: The SATB choir piece titled Song on a Spring Evening received the Award for the Serious Music Work of the Year from Artisjus, Hungarian Bureau for Copyright Protection.
2020 Magyar Művészeti Akadémia (Hungarian Academy of Art) scholarship winner for writing an opera based on a play called A tanítónő by Sándor Bródy
2018 Ritual for chamber ensemble listed as recommended work for broadcasting and concert presentation on the 65th International Rostrum of Composers.
2018 Winning piece (Introverted Confessions) of the Austrian Anton Matasovsky composition competition for piano solo. It was the compulsory piece for the 10th International Rosario Marciano Piano Competition, Vienna, Austria
2016 Best soundtrack, short-film category: The Bespoke Tailoring of Mister Bellamy, Wild Rose Independent Film Festival, USA
2016 ICOT composition competition, first prize winner, Toronto, Canada
2015 Aurora Musis Amica award, The Immortal Heart, Budapest, Hungary
2014 Silver Hugo award for the best commercial and corporate design, Liszt Academy Spot film, Chicago, USA
2014 Best Original Music in a Short award, Four in the Morning, Blue Whiskey Independent Film Festival, USA
2014 Liszt Academy of Music composition competition second prize, Vertigo, Budapest
2012 Liszt Academy of Music composition competition third prize, Second Trio, Budapest
2024
Sagittarius for symphonic orchestra, composed upon the request of the Hungarian Radio
Orchestra.
Crossing VI for English horn, violin, cello, and piano.
Crossing V for alto saxophone and piano.
Crossing IV for cello and piano.
2023
Adventus for string orchestra, composed upon request of the Budapest Strings. Premiered at the Budapest Music Center (BMC) on 20 November 2023.
Sileo for string orchestra – Presented by the Anima Musicae Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Máté Hámori, during the Danube Bend Contemporary Music Festival.
2020 – 2023
Flora, a one-act opera written under the Hungarian Academy of Arts scholarship program, will be staged by the Hungarian State Opera in December 2026.
2022
Tavasz-esti dal for mixed choir – A musical setting of Gyula Juhász’s poem of the same name. Awarded the Artisjus Prize in 2023 as the classical music work of the year.
Two Choir Songs for women’s or children’s choir, based on János Lacki’s poems. Premiered by the Pro Musica Girls’ Choir of the Nyíregyháza Cantemus Choir on 12 June 2022 at the Saint John of Nepomuk Church in Dunabogdány. Conductor: István Márkus.
2021
Limericks for piccolo and piano – Composed upon request by Dávid Kanyó, premiered at the Budapest Music Center in November 2021.
Gloria for mixed choir – Written for the Nyíregyháza Cantemus mixed choir, premiered at the concert titled Contemporary Choir Music of the Danube Bend in August 2021 in Dunabogdány.
Testosterone for percussion ensemble – Written for the Sonus Percussion Ensemble, premiered in Budapest at Bartók Radio Studio 6 in June 2021.
Perspectives – Composed for solo trumpet and chamber orchestra upon request of the MÁV Symphony Orchestra. Premiered in Budapest at Bartók Radio Studio 6 in June 2021.
Sileo for string quartet – Presented by the Sonus Cordis Quartet at a STUDIO5 concert in the Great Hall of the Liszt Academy in April 2021, as an online event.
2020
Puer Natus for mixed choir – Composed upon request by the city of Debrecen for the opening concert of the 29th Béla Bartók International Choir Competition. Published by Editio Musica Budapest. The COVID-19 pandemic postponed the performance, which took place in August 2021.
Anatidaephobia for chamber ensemble and fixed media – Premiered at the 2020 ArTRIUM Contemporary Music Festival in Bartók Radio Studio 6. Performed by Judit Váradi (piano), Levente Puskás (saxophone), Balázs Kántor (cello), and István Szabó (percussion). Electronics and conducting by Bence Kutrik.
Otthonka – A chanson for mezzo-soprano and piano, created for online broadcast by the Hungarian State Opera, performed by Gabriella Balga and Bence Kutrik, and available online.
2019
Christmas Preparations for mezzo-soprano and symphonic orchestra – Premiered on 28 December 2019 at Papp László Sportaréna, with Gabriella Balga and the Budafok Dohnányi Orchestra, conducted by Gábor Hollerung.
Cycles for symphonic orchestra – Premiered at the 2019 ArTRIUM Contemporary Music Festival on Bartók Radio. Performed by the Hungarian Radio Orchestra, conducted by Péter Dobszay. A studio recording was made in 2020 with the Hungarian Radio Orchestra, conducted by János Kovács.
The Immortal Heart – Revision of a work from 2014, performed by the Budafok Dohnányi Orchestra on 6 October 2019 at the Great Hall of the Liszt Academy. Soloists: Gabriella Balga and Orsolya Sáfár, conducted by Gábor Hollerung. The work was significantly revised, with the orchestra expanded to a full brass section and 3 percussionists plus timpani.
2018
Szerelmes illúziók – Chansons for mezzo-soprano and piano, set to selected poems by Attila József. Premiered in 2018 at the Marble Hall of Hungarian Radio with soloist Gabriella Balga.
Introverted Confessions – For piano, awarded first prize in the international Anton Matasovsky Composition Competition in Austria. Selected as a compulsory piece for the 10th International Rosario Marciano Piano Competition in 2018.
2017
Emojis – Premiered on 28 February 2018 in the Solti Hall of the Liszt Academy. Performed by the Anima Musicae String Orchestra, conducted by Péter Dobszay.
2017 Ritual, chamber ensemble, commissioned by ArTRIUM Contemporary Music Festival, premiere: Bartók Radio, 6th studio.
2017 Divergencies, Duo for saxophone and harp, commissioned by Duo SeRa, premiere: FUGA – Budapest Architectural Center.
2016 The Mandelbrot Riddle, chamber ensemble, premiere: Várkert Bazár, MINI festival, Budapest.
2015 Trembling, large chamber ensemble, commissioned by Beáta Móri, premiere: 2017 February 19, premiere: Studio 5 contemporary music group debut concert, Liszt Academy of Music, Solti hall.
2014 The Immortal Heart, short opera in one act with symphony orchestra, commissioned by the opera department at the Liszt Academy of Music, premiere: Liszt Academy of Music, Solti hall, played by: Concerto Budapest, Conductor: Vajda Gergő.
2014 Vertigo, chamber ensemble, premiere: Liszt Academy of Music, Solti hall.
2014 Two Fanfares for brass quintet, commissioned by the Liszt Academy of Music.
2013 Torn Out Pages for Symphony Orchestra, MA recital (thesis), premiered inMÜPA, Played by: Concerto Budapest, Conductor: Zsolt Serei.
2012 Second Trio for Violin, Cello and Piano, premiere: At the Liszt Academy of Music, Semmelweis building.
2010 Hamlet: The Final Scene, short opera in one act with large chamber ensemble, commissioned by the opera department of University of Toronto, premiere: University of Toronto, MacMillan Theater.
2010 Suite for String Orchestra, premiere: Music Gallery, Toronto, played by CCMW string orchestra, conductor: Gary Kulesha.
2009 Trio for Violin, Cello and Piano, premiere: University of Toronto, Walter Hall.
2009 My Life with the Seven Courses I Take for percussion ensemble and amplified sound effects, premiere: University of Toronto, Walter Hall.
2006 First Piano Sonata, premiere: University of Toronto, Walter Hall.
2016 Halj már meg!, feature film, orchestration, Hungary
2016 Földrengés Londonban, theater, orchestration, Hungarian Comedy Theater, Hungary. Worked with Gábor Presser and Péter Furák.
2015 The Bespoke Tailoring of Mister Bellamy, composition and orchestration, USA.
2014 The Philosopher King, feature films, composition and orchestration, Canada and Sweden.
2013 Four in the Morning, short film, composition and orchestration, USA
2012 One Way, feature film, composition and orchestration, USA
2012 Mars Project, documentary, composition and orchestration, Canada
2011 The Incidental, feature film, composition and orchestration, Canada
2010 and before: short-, animated film soundtracks and other applied music composition works for such prestigious companies as Disney Interactive, THQ, composition and orchestration, Canada, USA
