Artist database

Multireedist Mihály Borbély got his degrees in classical clarinet and jazz saxophone from the Béla Bartók Conservatory and Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music in Hungary and became a real versatile musician working in different musical styles from folk and world music to jazz and contemporary music. In addition to his original instruments he also plays folk instruments
like the tárogató, folk flutes, kaval, dvojnice, fujara, ocarina, bombarde and zurna.

He is a member of the famous folk group the Vujicsics (founded in 1974!) and, in addition to this he has participated in severeral recording sessions and concerts of leading Hungarian and international artists and groups, among others: Paul Bley, Steve Coleman, Trilok Gurtu, Charles Lloyd, Herbie Mann, Michel Montanaro’s Vents d’Est, Zbignew Namislowsky, Jiri Stivin, Saxophone Summit (Michael Brecker - David Liebman - Joe Lovano). He also performed with composer-conductor Peter Eötvös and the National Philharmonic Orchestra. In the nineties he formed his own jazz groups, the Quartet B, the Mihály Borbély Quartet (’Borbély Műhely’) and a duo project with pianist Károly Binder. He has played on major folk, world music and jazz festivals all over Europe as well as in the US and Australia.

Teaching is a very important element of his musical philosophy and he is an associate professor at the Jazz Department of Ferenc Liszt Academy of music in Budapest where he was the chairman between 1997 and 2000. Among these he gave lectures, workshops and master classes in his country and abroad, e.g. Birmingham Conservatory, Royal Academy of Music in London, DISTIL Scotland/England, Conservatoire de Lyon, Dresden University of Music C.M. von Weber and several colleges in the USA and Mexico.

Prizes:
1988 "Best Soloist" – Karlovy Vary Jazz Festival
2002 Artisjus Prize
2000, 2004 - three eMeRToN prizes
2005 The Knight's Cross Order Of Merit Of The Republic Of Hungary
2012 Liszt Prize
2014 Gábor Szabó Jazz Prize
2014 Kossuth Prize, as a member of the Vujicsics band