Vásáry, Tamás (1933– )

Hungarian-born Swiss pianist and conductor. He studied in Budapest where worked as an accompanist from 1948, and was encouraged by Kodály. He left Hungary in 1956 and became a Swiss citizen in 1971. He made his London debut in 1961, and first appeared in New York in 1962. He is often heard playing Chopin, Liszt, Bach, and Mozart. He made his debut as a conductor at Menton in 1971, and was joint conductor of the Northern Sinfonia from 1979 to 1982. He has also conducted widely in the USA. He was principal conductor of the Bournemouth Sinfonietta (1989–91), and music director of the Budapest Symphony Orchestra from 1993.