Sándor Balassa, who died at the age of 87, was a Ferenc and Kossuth Prize-winning composer, a regular member of the Hungarian Academy of Arts (MMA), a national artist, a versatile figure of contemporary Hungarian music, music director, and teacher.
Sándor Balassa was one of the founders of the social organization MMA, the public body of the Hungarian Academy of Arts considers him to be its own dead, the announcement states.
In 1965, he graduated from the Academy of Music, where he studied composition. Between 1964 and 1980, he was the music director of the Hungarian Radio. Since 1981, he has been an orchestration teacher at the Academy of Music, since 1993 he has been a university professor.
Between 1992 and 1997 and 2001-2004, he was the vice-president of the Hungarian Academy of Arts. In 2011, he was elected a full member of the Hungarian Academy of Arts (MMA).
In recognition of his art, he received the Ferenc Erkel Award in 1972, the title of Merited Artist in 1978, the Kossuth Award in 1983, and the title of Outstanding Artist in 1989. In 2012, the middle cross of the Hungarian Order of Merit was recognized with an award. In 2014, he was awarded the title of Artist of the Nation, and in 2016, he was awarded the Grand Prize of the Hungarian Academy of Arts (MMA) for his work entitled Földindulás, presented in 2015.
MTI
Opening photo: MTI/János Marjai
