Luka Okros certainly holds the key to success. For his performance at the prestigious Music Academy on Saturday at 7pm, this distinguished pianist will be taking the Budapest audience on a journey through musical history while he plays world-class pieces by renowned composers. His performance at the century-old Art Nouveau landmark has been anticipated by connoisseurs of the piano.
Graduating from the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory and earning his Master’s degree at the Royal College of Music in London, Okros is now among the world’s most acclaimed classical musicians. At 27, he has already performed in all corners of the globe, including the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Mumbai’s Royal Opera House and the Hong Kong City Hall. With more than 46,000 Instagram followers, he is also very popular on social media.
The artist’s upcoming concert will be his first public performance in Budapest. “I’m excited and very much looking forward to my recital,” says Okros, who has been lavished with several prime piano awards in recent years. “It is not only a big honor, but also a huge responsibility,” he continues.“This is my first visit to the homeland of Franz Liszt. Liszt for me is like Paganini for violinists. An innovator. He took piano playing to another level.”
The young virtuoso is not only restricting his first visit to music. “When I go somewhere new, I want to explore everything first hand, without any preconceived ideas about the place,” he explains. “I’m looking forward to discovering Budapest in my own way. Traveling is a big inspiration for me, it allows me to experience different cultures and widen my understanding of different nations and traditions.”
Traveling is not the only source of inspiration for the Georgian talent. Besides Liszt, Schubert and Chopin, Okros often plays pieces by Debussy, Beethoven and Schumann. However, what remains closest to his heart is the music of Rachmaninov. Expressive tunes by the key Russian pianist of the Romantic era always gives Okros a buzz: “His deep, polyphonic music with long lines and phrases fascinate me to this day”.
As to how he sees the role of classical music in our fast-paced environment, the artist points out that he thinks the genre is losing its position in contemporary entertainment. “In modern society, an increasingly materialistic lifestyle is dictated to young people. For me, classical music is something very spiritual and emotional,” says Okros, who also composes in a romantic style. “I love melodic music with beautiful harmonies and I hardly include contemporary works in my repertoire.”
After his Budapest performance, Okros will continue touring the major concert halls of Europe, presenting his natural virtuosity from London to Amsterdam and Prague to Tbilisi.
For more information about the Budapest concert and to reserve tickets, visit the Music Academy website.
