Biography
I was born and raised in a small town in Hungary called Baja, which is also the hometown of Katinka Hosszú, the three-time Olympic Champion and 26-time World Champion swimmer. Although no one in my family played music, I had a strong desire to play the flute, so my parents kindly allowed me to start lessons at the local music school. I enjoyed the lessons so much and had a blast at band practices that I decided early on that I wanted to pursue music as a profession.
At the age of 14, I was accepted into a Kodály School, where I shared a tiny room with four other girls for four years. Together, we survived the rigors of theory and aural skills lessons and graduated high school as best friends. I then attended the Royal Academy of Music as a scholar, where I had some of my most transformative experiences, including playing the contrabass flute in flute ensemble and performing under the baton of Marin Alsop.
After spending four years in London and navigating the challenges of the COVID pandemic, I felt a strong urge to explore more of the world. Having never been to the U.S. before, I was thrilled to receive an acceptance to the Manhattan School of Music for my master’s degree in NYC. I had the opportunity to collaborate with outstanding musicians, play under the baton of Maestro Slatkin and premiere a piece for Augusta Read Thomas. I grew to love the city and all it has to offer (well, other than the gigantic cockroaches and chubby rats roaming the streets).
After completing my degree last year, I had the opportunity to experience the freelance lifestyle during an additional practical training year. I regularly stepped in for friends at the last minute, played at private parties, and covered teaching slots on short notice. I also worked at the Flute Center of New York for a year as a play tester, conducting quality control, where I often played over 50 flutes a day. At the same time, I managed my own little studio in New Jersey at the Aurora Music Academy, where I prepared my students for recitals and school performances.
As fulfilling as the past year was, I realized I wanted to explore more performance opportunities and have more time to play the flute than NYC allowed me. That’s why I’m truly excited to be part of Sinfonia Smith Square in the upcoming season!
Outside of music, I enjoy eating out, being with family, having bottomless brunches with friends, and spending time in the park to watch dogs (always on the lookout for dachshunds).