Born in Romania in 1926, György Kurtág is a Hungarian composer, pianist and music instructor and is considered one of the most important contemporary composers. He studied composition at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest, where he met his lifelong friend György Ligeti. Kurtág’s works, which include compositions for orchestra, voice, chamber music, solo instruments and electronic music, are internationally acclaimed and performed across the globe. In 2013 he was awarded the Royal Philharmonic Society Gold Medal, and in 2015 the Spanish BBVA Foundation presented him with the Frontiers of Knowledge Award in the contemporary music category.