Bard Conservatory of Music News Archive

The Bard College Conservatory of Music presents the 2025 season of Signs, Games & Messages, a three-day festival celebrating the music and artistry of renowned Hungarian composer György Kurtág. The festival, which is free and open to the public, will begin on February 29 and take place through March 2 on Bard’s campus in Annandale. Curated by acclaimed pianist and conductor Benjamin Hochman, a lecturer at Bard College Berlin, this year’s festival offers four unique programs showcasing the range of Kurtág’s work.

“The Kurtág Festival is a remarkable opportunity for students, faculty, guest artists, and audiences to engage deeply with the work of one of the most profound musical voices of our time,” said Frank Corliss, director of the Bard College Conservatory of Music. “This recurring festival fosters a unique environment where musicians of all ages come together to explore, interpret, and celebrate Kurtág’s artistry in conversation with other great composers.”

Named after one of Kurtág’s signature compositions, Signs, Games & Messages is an annual festival dedicated to exploring his music and the composers who have shaped or been shaped by his artistry. This unique celebration fosters a timeless dialogue between composers, musicians, and styles, with Kurtág’s work as the central thread. 

For more information, please visit https://www.bard.edu/conservatory/events/ or contact Kat Ottosen [email protected]. 

FESTIVAL SCHEDULE:

PROGRAM ONE: Bartók and Kurtág
Friday, February 28 at 7:00 pm at the Conservatory Performance Space, Bard College 61 Blithewood Ave, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY, 12504
Featuring guest artists Hiromi Kikuchi (violin) and Ken Hakii (viola), this program explores the musical conversation between Béla Bartók and György Kurtág, two of Hungary’s most significant composers.

PROGRAM TWO: Piano Marathon, Bartók’s Mikrokosmos (Books IV, V, and VI)
Saturday, March 1 at 2:00 pm at the Conservatory Performance Space, Bard College 61 Blithewood Ave, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY, 12504
An exhilarating performance of Bartók’s Mikrokosmos by students and faculty of the Conservatory, showcasing the depth and brilliance of his pedagogical masterpiece.

PROGRAM THREE: Literary Inspirations I, Lichtenberg, Joyce, and Kurtág
Saturday, March 1 at 7:00 pm at the Chapel of the Holy Innocents, 1387 Annandale Rd, Annandale-On-Hudson, NY, 12504
A thought-provoking program featuring works by Kurtág, Bach, Gubaidulina, Purcell, Eötvös, Cage, and more, exploring the interplay of literature and music. Performed by faculty, students and guest artists.

PROGRAM FOUR: Literary Inspirations II, Beckett and Kurtág
Sunday, March 2 at 4:00 pm at the Conservatory Performance Space, Bard College 61 Blithewood Ave, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY, 12504
A profound musical journey through works by Kurtág, Schubert, and Beethoven, highlighting not only Beckett’s influence on Kurtág but also musical inspirations shared by both Kurtág and Beckett.

2025 Kurtág Festival performers Include: Guest Artists Ken Hakii (viola), Hiromi Kikuchi (violin), Will Langlie-Miletich (double bass); and Faculty Members Luosha Fang ’11 (violin), Lucy Fitz Gibbon (soprano), Benjamin Hochman (piano), Kayo Iwama (piano), Philip McNaughton (bassoon), Daniel Phillips (violin), Raman Ramakrishnan (cello), Melissa Reardon (viola), Terrence Wilson (piano), and Carmit Zori (violin).

This festival has been permanently endowed through the generous support of László Z. Bitó '60 and Olivia Cariño.