Iván Fischer facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Iván Fischer
Iván Fischer, Budapest, 2015
Background information
Born	20 January 1951 Budapest, Hungary
Occupation(s)	Conductor composer

Iván Fischer (born January 20, 1951) is a world-famous Hungarian conductor and composer. As a conductor, he leads orchestras, using his hands and a baton to guide the musicians to play together beautifully.

Early Life and Musical Journey

Iván Fischer was born in Budapest, Hungary, into a family full of musicians. From a young age, he learned to play the piano, violin, and cello. He also studied composition, which is the art of writing music. His older brother, Ádám Fischer, also grew up to be a conductor.

To follow his dream of becoming a conductor, Fischer moved to Vienna, Austria. There, he studied at the University of Music and Performing Arts with a famous teacher named Hans Swarowsky. He also learned from other great musicians like Nikolaus Harnoncourt and Franco Ferrara.

In 1976, Fischer won an important conducting competition in London. This victory helped start his career. Soon, he was invited to be a guest conductor for major British orchestras like the BBC Symphony and the London Symphony Orchestra. In 1983, he had his first performance in the United States with the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

The Budapest Festival Orchestra

In 1983, Fischer returned to his home country of Hungary with a big idea. He started the Budapest Festival Orchestra (BFO). At first, the orchestra only played a few concerts each year. But by 1992, it became a full-time orchestra, performing for about 30 weeks a year.

New Ideas for Concerts

Fischer is known for his creative and fun ideas to make classical music exciting for everyone.

• Cocoa-Concerts: These are special concerts for young children, making music fun and accessible.
• Surprise Concerts: At these concerts, the audience doesn't know what music will be played until it starts!
• One Forint Concerts: Fischer talks to the audience during these shows, explaining the music.
• Open-Air Concerts: He has led huge outdoor concerts in Budapest that attract thousands of people.

Fischer also started several music festivals, including the Budapest Mahlerfest. He and the BFO have made many popular recordings together.

Working Around the World

Besides his work in Budapest, Fischer has led many other famous orchestras. In the United States, he was the Principal Guest Conductor for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra for seven years. He later became the principal conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C.

He has also worked with many opera companies. An opera is like a play where the actors sing all their lines. He was the Music Director at Kent Opera in the United Kingdom and the Opéra National de Lyon in France. His work in Lyon won an award for Best Regional Opera Production of the Year.

More recently, he was named Music Director of the Konzerthausorchester Berlin in Germany. In 2020, the famous Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in the Netherlands appointed him as its honorary guest conductor. In 2024, he became the music director for the European Union Youth Orchestra.

Writing His Own Music

Iván Fischer is not only a conductor but also a composer. He writes his own music, often for small groups of singers and instruments.

One of his pieces, "Spinoza-Vertalingen," is based on the writings of the 17th-century philosopher Baruch Spinoza. Another well-known work is "Eine Deutsch-Jiddische Kantate," which has been performed in many countries. In 2013, his one-act opera, The Red Heifer, was performed for the first time in Budapest.

Awards and Honors

Fischer has received many awards for his contributions to music. The French government named him a Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres, which is a high honor for artists. In his home country, he received the Kossuth Prize, Hungary's most important arts award. He is also an honorary citizen of Budapest.

A Creative Invention

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Fischer invented a special acoustic face mask. The mask had plastic hands cupped around the wearer's ears. He said this design helped make the music sound clearer and warmer, similar to the acoustics in a church. People in the audience who tried them said they really improved the sound.

See also

In Spanish: Iván Fischer para niños