Szilárd Mezei | 1974 | Senta | Serbia

viola, composer

* Mezei Szilárd Trio – A kölyökkutya reszketése – Trembling of the Puppy (2004)
MEZEI Szilárd – viola
Ervin Malina – bass
CSÍK István – drums
Prod.: Gyo½rfree – Harmónia, Gyo½r. Hungary, 2004. Reissued 2006.* Gyo½rfree mu½hely – Módszertani sorozat / Gyo½rfree Workshop, „Mezei Szilárd“
2004 Harmónia Produkció / Gyo½rfree Mu½hely HCD 283

Born February 12th, 1974 in Senta, Serbia (then Yugoslavia) as a member of the Hungarian minority in the multiethnic region of Vojvodina. Completed his violin studies in Senta and Subotica and studied composition for four years at the University of Arts in Beograd under prof. Zoran Eric. As violinist, violist, double bass player and composer and in various formations (from duo to nonett) held many concerts: Senta, Kanizsa (the "Jazz, Improvisative Music..." Festival 1995, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2002), Subotica, Novi Sad (all Serbia, then Yugoslavia), Maribor (Slovenija), Szeged (Hungary, 'MASZK' Festival 1994, 1997), Budapest (Hungary, 'FONÓ' 1997), Gyor (Hungary, 'Mediawave' Festivals 1992, 1994, 1995, 2003, 2006, also 'Gyorfree Impro Workshops' 2003, 2004, 2006), Gyergyószentmiklós (Romania), Leverkusen (Germany, 'Leverkusener Jazz Tage' 1991), Düsseldorff (Germany, 'Düsseldorffer Altsadt Herbst' 1996 - special prize for improvisation), Copenhagen and Aarhus (Denmark, 'Magic Music Festival' 1999), Kluj-Napoca (Romania, 'Charta Minimumia Festival' 2000), Odorhei Secuiesc (Romania), Beograd (Serbia, 'Ring Ring Festival' 2002, 2005), Pécs (Hungary, 'Gassztro Fest' 2002, 'POSZT' 2006), Kishegyes ('Dombos Fest' 2003), Copenhagen, Aero, Aalborg, Aarhus (Denmark, 2003 - tour with the Creative Workshop Ensemble), Debrecen ('Debrecen Jazz Days' 2003), Klagenfurt ('CIK', Austria, 2004), London ('Klinker Nunhead', 2005), 'Cerkno Jazz Fest' (Slovenia, 2006, 2007), Avignon 2006, Warszawa 2007.
His orchestra plays contemporary improvised music, mostly performing his own compositions. As a composer, Mezei is interested in exploring the relationship between improvisation and composition (similarly to Witold Lutoslawski's aleatoric and Anthony Braxton's creative music methods), incorporating elements of jazz and authentic folk music as well. As a young musician he followed the path of B.Bartók and Gy.Szabados. Mezei is also very actively involved in composing scenic music and plays authentic Hungarian folk music on genuine folk instruments (koboz and oud).
Since 2001, Mezei is closely collaborating with choreographer Josef Nadj, director of the 'Centre Chorégraphique National d'Orléans' in Orléans, France. Their mutual project 'Les Philosophes' was selected theatre-piece of the year 2001 in France. The play was performed with great success at the 'Festival of Dance' in Cannes, France 2001, in Avignon 2002, in Brugge (Belgium - the capital of European Culture for the year 2002), in Orléans in October 2002, in Paris in May 2003, in Reggio Emilia (Italy), in Le Havre, in Nantes (France) 2004, and in London 2005. In 2006 they collaborated on a new project 'Asobu' (together with co-composer Akosh S.). This play was premiered at the Festival d'Avignon in 2006 (Cour d’Honneur), then successfuly toured Europe and Japan.
In 2003 Mezei was invited by the Creative Workshop Ensemble of Denmark to tour in that country, performing some of his compositions.
Works: Solos (1990), Hommage á Alberto Giacometti (1991), Sextets, Septets, Nonets (1993), Árvacsáth (Orphan Csáth, 18 songs, poems by Ottó Tolnai, 1993), Poems by Ottó Tolnai (1990-1992), Trios (1994), Duets (1995), Suite for piano (1995), Solos (1996), String trio (1996), Trio for oboe, english horn and bassoon (1996), Songs (J. Pilinszky, E.B.Pap, I. Kormos, 1995-1997), (TRIO) (for flute, piano and percussions, 1997), Indiana-variations (for wind quintet, 1997), Solos (1998), quaqua (1999), Trios (1998-99), Water-air song (1999), Ködének / Fog-song (1999), O½rizgeto½ / Care (wind quintet, 2000), Trios (2000), Levego½ levego½ két ének / Air air two songs (female choir, text by E.B.Pap, 2000), Tibetan fast 2 (quartet, 2000, ensemble, 2004)), Septets (2001), Trios (2001), Quartets (2001), Quartets (2002), Bot (octet, nonet, 2002), Tamara-ki? / Tamara – who? (ensemble, 2002), Bóbita-fék / Tuft-brake (ensemble, 2002), Medium (ensemble, 2002), Tumble-hole-foal (quartet, 2003), Legényes / Mans Dance (quartet, 2003.), Keserves / Lament (quartet, 2003), A kölyökkutya reszketése / The tremble of the puppy (trio, quartet, 2003), Bolondút / Road of fool (solo, 2003), 3 Trios (2003), Medvebolond / Bear-fool (trio, 2003), Bolondul / Being a fool (trio, 2003), Csip csip (sextet, ensemble 2003), Szerzet / Figure (quartet, quintet 2004), Huzatos huzat / Breezy draught (ensemble, 2004), No½i box / Woman’s Box (ensemble, 2004), Napszekér / Chariot of Sun (ensemble, 2004), Az a tánc / That Dance (ensemble, 2004), Fabula Suite (quintet, 2005), Szöko½s (quintet, 2005), Jaguár (quintet, 2005), Kakaó (quintet, 2005), Kéreg / Bark (quintet, 2005), Vadludak / Wild Geese I-II (trio, 2005), Fehér virág / White Flower(trio,quintet, 2005), Távol a fazéktól / Far Away From Pot (trio,quintet 2005), Háromfa / Three Trees (quintet, 2005), Árnyjáték / Shadow Show (trio, 2005), Uncia (kvintet, 2005), Lynx (quintet, 2005), Inkább / Rather (quintet, 2005), Cougar (quintet, 2005), Kopottas / Worn (quintet, 2005), Serval (quintet, 2005). 15 Solo (solo viola, 2005), Fakard / Wooden Sword (ensemble, 2006), Cirkula / Circle Saw (ensemble, 2006), Sík / Flat Ground (ensemble, 2006), Nem rózsa / Not rose (ensemble), 2006), Stairs of Cassavetes (ensemble, 2006), Jungle Cat (ensemble, 2006), Eso½lovak / Rainhorses (ensemble, 2006), Hep 1 (ensemble, 2006), Hep 2 (ensemble, 2006), Fohász / Petition (ensemble, 2006), Hep 3 (trio, 2006), Most nem / Now no (trio, 2006), Te beszélsz, én elalszok / You speak, I fall asleep (trio, 2006), (Long stick) (trio, 2006), Bármikor, most / Anytime, now (trio, 2006), Hep 4 (trio, quintet 2006), Sivatag / Desert (ensemble 2006), Warszawa Sketches (ensemble 2006), Vízfény(észak) / Waterlight(north) (ensemble 2006), Ülo½ bika / Sitting bull (septet, 2006), Elveszett vízpart / Lost Water-coast (septet, 2006), Ahogy Te / As You (quartet, 2007), Ahogy tetszik / As You wish (quartet, 2007), Kóró / Thistle (quintet, 2007), Eso½, eso½, eso½ / Rain, rain, rain (quintet, 2007), Lerakat / Depot (sextet, 2007), Leopard (sextet, 2007), Ne nézz vissza / Don't look backwards (15 pieces for sextet) (2007), Tönk / Stump (sextet, 2007), Hep 5 (sextet, 2007) Kaffir Cat (quintet, 2007), Ho½ (solo, 2007), Hó (solo, 2007), Króm (solo, 2007).
Scenic works: Bell (AIOWA group, 1990), Wozzeck (AIOWA/National Theater-Subotica,d.:A.Urbán, 1992), Hamlet (AIOWA/Nat.Theater-Subotica, d.:A.Urbán, 1992), Blue land (URAIM group, 1994), Amnesty (AIOWA group, 1994), Orestes(d.:A.Kovács, 1994), Withdrawal (Theater JEL, d.:Josef Nadj, 1997), Under Milk Wood (d.:Sz.Tolnai, 1998, Kosztolányi D. Theatar, Subotica, 2004), Les Enfants Terribles (URAIM group, 1998), Tameings (Theater of Novi Sad, d.:K.Mezei, 2000), Les Philosophes (Centre Chorégraphique National d'Orléans - Josef Nadj, d.:Josef Nadj, Orléans-Cannes, 2001), Yerma (Theatar of Novi Sad, d.:K.Mezei, 2002.), Hírnökök (MU Theater, d.:T.Várszegi, 2002), Pác (Theater of Novi Sad, d.: K.Mezei, 2002.), Another Paradise I-II-III-IV-V (d. T.Várszegi, 2002.). Children (Theater of Zenta, d.: A.Urbán, 2003.,Kosztolányi D. Theatar, Subotica, 2004), ), 8, rue Usorska (Compagnie Jasmina, Orléans, France, common with Márkos Alberttel, r.:Jasmina Prolic, 2003), Könyök kanyar (Urbán András Company, Szeged, 2003), Via Italia (Theater of Novi Sad, d. K.Mezei, 2004), Tis¹ina treznih (Narodno Pozoris¹te, Beograd, d.: K.Mezei, 2004), A Mennybe vitt leány (T.Várszegi, Hungary, 2004), 0,1 mg (Urbán András Company, Szeged, Hungary, 2004), Fabula (Theater „Bárka“, Hungary, d.: K.Mezei, 2005), 7 steps (duet with dancer Péter Gemza, Orléans, France, 2005), Godot-ra várva / Waiting for Godot (Kosztolányi D. Theater, Subotica, d.: A.Urbán, 2005). The Girl Who Barked at the Moon (Urbán András Company, d.: A. Urbán, Szeged, Hungary, 2005). Koldustetu½ / Thistle (Theater of Novi Sad, d. K.Mezei, 2006)., Asobu (common with Szelevényi Ákossal –AKOSH S., Centre National Chorégraphique d'Orléans - Josef Nadj, d. Josef Nadj, 2006. Orléans - Avignon). En la soledad de los campos de algodón (Teatro Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz; Centro Cultural Universitario, UNAM, Ciudad de México, d. Ricardo Diaz Sanchez, 2006.), The Taming of the Shrew ( Kosztolányi D. Theater, Subotica, d.: A.Urbán , 2006), Brecht – The Hardcore Machine (ACUDtheater – Berlin / MASZK Szeged / Theater Kosztolányi Dezso½, d.András Urbán).
His 'String Trio' was performed at the Festival of Contemporary Music 'Ondine '98' in Rovereto, Italy . The composition 'Trio for Flute, Piano and Percussion' won the 3rd prize at the 7th International Review of Composers in Beograd 1998 in the category of student-composers. He got the 'Sterija Prize' for the music of the theatre-piece 'Szelídítések' (Tamings). In 2004 Mezei won also the prize for music at the 54th 'Festival of Professional Theatres' in Vojvodina (for the theatre-piece 'Via Italia'). As a performer Mezei participated in many workshops of improvised and intuitive music (with Tim Hodgkinson in Budapest, William Parker in Gyo½r, among others). Played so far with musicians/improvisors like Matthias Schubert, Tamás Geröly, Róbert Benko½, György Szabados, Mihály Dresch, Michael Hornstein, Tim Hodgkinson, Albert Márkos, Peter Ole Jörgensen, Jens Balder, Ákos Szelevényi, Joe Fonda, Michael Jefry Stevens, Joelle Leandre, Hamid Drake. His writings on music were published in many periodicals in Former-Yugoslavia and Hungary.
Mezei is a member of the Composers Association of Serbia and the Hungarian 'Gyorfree' Jazz, Improvisative, Contemporary and Folk Music Workshop Comitee.
At the moment he leads the Mezei Trio, Mezei Szilárd Quartet/Quintet and Mezei Szilárd Ensemble, and plays in many formations (duo, trio, etc.) for improvising music (among others, in duet with György Szabados, and with His orchestra MAKUZ, The Fonda/Stevens Group).