Marouan Ben Abdallah, piano December 7, 2007

In a programme of music by Kodaly, Bartok, Debussy, Liszt, Beethoven and Saint-Saëns

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Marouan Ben Abdallah was named one of the Musicians of the Year 2005 by the Hungarian National Classical Music Radio and has now performed in many of Budapest's concert halls, including the Great Hall of the Franz Liszt Music Academy. At only 22, his performance of Rachmaninoff's third Piano Concerto with the Budapest Symphony Orchestra and Tamás Gál brought the cheering audience to its feet.

He is an artist of the highest sensitivity, imagination and focus, combining consummate musicality with great fire and enthusiasm. Endowed with a strong formation acquired at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music, Marouan Ben Abdallah is an heir to the great Hungarian piano tradition of Franz Liszt. Native of Rabat, Morocco, he started playing the piano at the age of 4 with his Hungarian mother.

At the age of 13 he came to Budapest alone, to continue his musical studies. He entered the Béla Bartók Conservatory of Music where he studied piano with Gábor Eckhardt, chamber music with Gábor Csalog and conducting with Lenke Igó. He was the pupil of Sándor Falvai and Kálmán Dráfi at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest where he graduated in 2007. Since 2004, he consults regularly the legendary pianist and professor, Ferenc Rados.

Marouan Ben Abdallah was awarded top prizes in different competitions: In 2003 he won 2nd prize at the Hungarian Radio Piano Competition; 1st Prize at the Andorra International Piano Competition; 2nd Prize at the Naples International Piano Competition in 2004; 1st prize at the Andor Földes Piano Competition in 2005; 2nd Prize at the Gorizia International Piano Competition in 2006 and 4th Prize at the Grand Prix Animato (Paris) International Piano Competition in 2007.

in Association with The Hungarian Information and Cultural Centre, New Delhi and Alliance Francaise de Pune

Official Website: http://www.poonamusicsociety.com