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Levente Puskás – Saxophonist, Clarinettist, and Educator
Levente Puskás is an accomplished saxophonist, chamber musician, and clarinetist, recognized for his commitment to teaching and his international influence in chamber music.
A Dual Background in Saxophone and Clarinet
In addition to being an active saxophonist, he also holds a degree in clarinet and continues to play this instrument. In 2005/06, he began teaching saxophone at the Zoltán Kodály Secondary School in Debrecen, before joining the University of Debrecen in 2007, where he trains young musicians at the highest level.
An award-winning musician and renowned soloist
In 1994, he distinguished himself at the Young Artist Clarinet Competition in Chicago, where he won second prize.
In 1995, he co-founded the Budapest Saxophone Quartet, a leading ensemble with which he has performed worldwide:
➤ United States, Canada, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Israel, Mauritius, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Austria, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Italy, etc.
With this quartet, he has won six major distinctions in international competitions :
➤ 1995: 1st Prize – Chamber Music Competition, Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music.
➤ 1996: 1st Prize – Chamber Music Competition, Budapest.
➤ 1996: Special Prize – Chamber Music Competition, Osaka (Japan).
➤ 1997: 4th Prize – Chamber Music Competition, Trapani (Italy).
➤ 1998: 3rd Prize – Chamber Music Competition, Caltanisetta (Italy).
➤ 2000: 2nd Prize – Gustav Bumcke Saxophone Competition, Dortmund (Germany).
International recognition and a collaboration with SELMER
In 2001, the Budapest Saxophone The Quartet signed a contract with the prestigious SELMER Paris label, becoming an ambassador for the brand and playing exclusively on its instruments.
From 2002 to 2004, he perfected his chamber music playing with the Budapest Saxophone Quartet at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris, under the direction of László Hadady, earning the Advanced Studies Program, the highest chamber music diploma in France.
In 2006/07, he completed a saxophone performance and teaching diploma at the Conservatoire National de Musique et de Danse de Montreuil, Paris, under the tutelage of Jean-Pierre Baraglioli.
A prestigious discography and performances
With the Budapest Saxophone Quartet, he has recorded eight albums:
➤ From Baroque to Jazz
➤ Rhapsody in Blue
➤ Emotion
➤ Baroque
➤ Alone
➤ 80 Minutes Around the World
➤ Gentle Love
➤ Spirit
The quartet has represented Hungarian saxophonists at the World Saxophone Congresses:
➤ Montreal (2000)
➤ Minneapolis (2003)
➤ Strasbourg (2015)
Collaboration with World-Renowned Musicians
His career has led him to work with prestigious artists and conductors, such as:
Zoltán Kocsis, Péter Eötvös, Heinz Holliger, Leonidas Kavakos, Tamás Vásáry, Vadim Gluzman, Christian Wirth, György Vukán, Gergely Vajda, Aldo Ceccato, Jurij Szimonov, Iván Fischer, Ádám Fischer, Kobayashi Kenichiro, Miklós Perényi, Arno Bornkamp, Lars Mlekusch, Mario Giovannelli, Masato Kumoi.
A teacher sought after internationally
He also shares his expertise through international masterclasses, including:
➤ 2005 – Baja (Hungary).
➤ 2006, 2007, 2008 – Békéscsaba (Hungary).
➤ 2010 – Piacenza (Italy).
➤ 2011 – Bratislava (Slovakia).
➤ 2014 – Subotica (Serbia).
