György Geiger

Born in Homokmégy (Hungary) on August 3rd, 1944, he attended the secondary school for music, then studied at the Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music graduating as a trumpet artist and teacher at 23. He became principal trumpeter at the Hungarian State Opera orchestra at the age of 20, playing there for four years. In 1969 he was appointed solo trumpeter of the Hungarian Radio and Television Symphony Orchestra and has been working there ever since. It was under his leadership that the Hungarian Brass Ensemble was established in 1975. Since 1979 he has been teaching at the Teachers’ Training Department of the Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music. He was awarded the Liszt Ferenc Prize in 1980 and, for his achievements in propagating contemporary Hungarian music, the received the Artisjus-Prize in 1983 and on three further occasions (in 1992, 1994, 1996). He premiered several trumpet concertos written for him, most of which were also released on composer CDs and recorded by the radio, respectively. His prizes and distinctions include: honorary citizen of the Town Soroksár – 1996, Hungarian Radio eMeRTon-Prize – 1997, Inter-Lyra-Prize – 1998, Dohnányi-Prize - 1999, Merited Artist – 2000, Kossuth-Prize - 2009.