István Zámbó - The Founder of the Choir
Prof Zámbó István
1932-2007
Prof Zámbó was born in 1932 in Székesfehérvár. He graduated from the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music in Budapest as a student of Zoltán Vásárhelyi, Zoltán Gárdonyi, György Ligeti and András Szőllősy. Between 1957 and 1967, he was appointed teacher, later vice-director of the “Csermák Antal” Music School in Veszprém, beside having been the school inspector of all the music schools in Veszprém County. From 1967 to 1981, Prof Zámbó was the music director of Veszprém City of County Rank. As the professor of his Alma Mater, he was the tutor and mentor of generations of choral conductors at the Liszt Academy, between 1976 and 1992.
Till 1990, for nine years he had been the principal conductor of the All Male Voice Choir of the Hungarian Armed Forces. He was by the cradle of ”Dohnányi Ernő” Music Secondary School in 1990, and had been the director of the institute till 1995.
As artistic director, Prof Zámbó had started the National Chamber Orchestra Festival in 1965.
In 1956, he had founded Veszprém City Choir and Symphony Orchestra, leading these ensembles for over 25 years. With the choir, Prof Zámbó had achieved several remarkable successes in the international choral world (Arezzo, Gorizia, Llangollen, Debrecen, BBC). Several audio-recordings – with Veszprém City Choir, the All Male Choir of the Hungarian Armed Forces, the Szolnok Kodály Choir (what he led from 1996 till 2002) and the Radio Choir kept the resounding memory of Prof Zámbó’s exceptional art. The recordings of Te Deum by Charpentier and Cantatas by Liszt were world-premiere.
Prof Zámbó played a significant role in building bridges between the Hungaran and European choral scene, having been workshop leader in Europa Cantat Festivals, and hosting Europa Cantat International Singing Weeks for the first time behind the Iron Curtain (1968 and 1971).
His artistic oeuvre was acknowledge with several prizes and awards, including Liszt-Ferenc-Award and BBC Grand Prix (1977), Distinguished Artist Of Hungary (1981).
His most beloved town, Veszprém also appreciated him greatly: Pro Urbe (1992), Pro Meritis (1996), Freeman of Veszprém (2002).
He passed away shortly after the 50th jubilee events of the Veszprém City Choir, and he slept in God in his beloved Veszprém.
