Gabor Viragh

Associate Professor of Music Theory
Supervisor of Ear Training

Mr. Virágh studied at Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music (University) Teacher Training Institute, Budapest, Hungary, in Classical & Jazz Studies, according to the Kodály concept. Among his teachers were the most outstanding Master Pedagogues of the Kodály movement, such as Melinda Kistétényi, Ildikó Herboly, and Mária Farkas.

He also studied at Béla Bartók Conservatory of Budapest, Hungary; Berklee College of Music (cum laude) in Jazz Trumpet; and Academie Musicala Ottorino Respighi Summer Festival, Assisi, Italy (Solo Performance Degree, Orchestra and Chamber Music Studies).

At The Hartt School, he has been Associate Professor of Music Theory / Kodály Specialist, since 1992, where he was tenured in 2000. He serves as Supervisor of Ear Training, and has taught jazz trumpet for the Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz at Hartt. He also has served as an Adjunct Faculty Member of New England Conservatory Boston; a Judge of the International Chamber Music Ensemble Competition Series of CMF of New England at the Carnegie Hall, New York City; and as Associate Faculty of the Kodály Center of America

Mr. Virágh is a former board member of OAKE, a frequent lecturer of OAKE, and he was also an invited lecturer at CMEA and at the 14th International Kodály Symposium in Hungary, 1999. During his Sabbatical 2009 he gave Lectures at the Kodály Pedagogical Institute Kecskemét, Hungary, the birthplace of Zoltán Kodály. Frequent Guest Lecturer on Kodály Concept throughout the United States

Mr. Virágh is a frequent Guest Clinician and Lecturer at numerous Colleges, Universities and School Systems throughout the United States. He taught Advanced Ear Training Course at Silver Lake College, WI. He is a Permanent Summer Faculty at Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln, NE; University of Nebraska Omaha, NE; New England Conservatory Boston, MA ; Colorado State University, Ft. Collins, CO; and Wichita State University, KS.

Since moving to the United States, Mr. Virágh has been a frequent performer throughout the New England area. He has shared stages with trumpeter Joe Wilder (original member of the Count Basie & Tonight Show Bands), Gerald Wilson, Richard Evans (Grammy Award Winner), Luis Bellson, Phil Wilson, Bob Berg, Jimmy Green, Steve Davis, Nat Reeves, Freddie Hubbard, Eddie Henderson, Claudio Roditi, Valerey Ponomarev, Alex Nakhimovsky, and others. Mr Virágh is soloist on live performances CD & DVD-s Jordan Hall (New England Conservatory, Boston, MA) on the Kodály Teacher Training Institute's Gala Concerts. (Contemporary and Jazz) with conductors such as Dr. Katalin Kiss and David Hodgkins.

Mr. Virágh is a Member and Featured Soloist of the New England Jazz Ensemble, the Steve Lord Big Band and the "Other Orchestra" Big Band. Featured Trumpet Soloist of Musica Mundi (Classical Hits) and Toodle-e labels ("Let's Fall In Love" June Bisantz Evans sings Chet Baker).

He was an Invited Guest Conductor of the 2008 Eastern Region High School Big Band Concert held at Jorgensen Hall of UCONN Storrs, CT. Most recently he was a featured Trumpet Soloist at the 2009 International Summer Jazz Festival Hartford, CT, which can be seen on YouTube.
In Europe, Virágh displayed an extensive activity as a featured trumpet soloist in Jazz Festivals and Clubs, and appears as concert trumpet soloist on the CD "Favorite Classics" for the Musica Mundi Label.
He was a member of the Orchestra of the Musical Theater Budapest and of the National Symphony Orchestra in Budapest. He also was a member of the Hungarian Radio Big Band, and taught Jazz Trumpet and Theory at the Conservatory Béla Bartók in Budapest.
He is a member of the IKS (International Kodály Society) and OAKE (Organization of American Kodály Educators), is a former board member of OAKE, and is the faculty advisor for Sigma Alpha Iota, Professional Music Fraternity at the University of Hartford.

Publications

Living Harmonies. Collected and Edited by Gábor Virágh. A Collection of three- and four-part challenging but accessible Chorale-like madrigals and hymns. Musics of Ingegneri, Casciolini and other composers of the 16th and 17th centuries. All with original Latin text to be used with students for both pedagogical advancement and performance. Educational remarks and ideas are included. Publisher: Kodály Center of America, Providence, RI. Adopted for use in numerous Kodály Teacher Training Programs in the USA.

In the Christmas Mood, Anthology of the Christmas Choral Music. Well-known and unknown Christmas melodies composed or arranged by prominent Hungarian composers and educators. Compiled by Gábor Virágh. Publisher: Kodály Center of America, Providence, RI.

World of Sounds, Volume I. Theachers Anthology & Students Workbook by László Dobszay, annotated translation by Gábor Virágh and edited by Jean Sinor. A Comprehensive method includes analysis of the music of Viennese classical period (Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven etc.) to help students recognize harmonic functions. The book is published by Capitol University, Ohio. Use throughout Europe, England, and Australia.

New Words Volume I. A Collection of 15 Bicinia Hungarica, by Zoltán Kodály. Selected and edited by Gábor Virágh and Faith Knowles (Artistic Director of the Kodály Center). From Bicinia Hungarica Volumes I, II, III, & IV. Publisher: Kodály Center of America. Providence, RI.

New Words Volume II. A Collection of selected pedagogical exercises by Zoltán Kodály. Compiled and edited by Gábor Virágh and Faith Knowles (Artistic Director of the Kodály Center). Publisher: Kodály Center of America. Providence, RI.

From folk song structure to the structure of Bach Fugue by Gábor Virágh. Bulletin, Official journal of the International Kodály Society. The publication addresses the sequence, which leads from Kodály's choral method publications through the structure of the imitation technique of the fugue — understanding the terms of fifth-changing melodies, real-tonal answers, and the role of the subject (dux-comes).

World of Sounds, Volume III. by László Dobszay (in preparation), an annotated translation by Gábor Virágh. This volume includes analysis of the music of Early Baroque Era (with special focus on the works by Henry Purcell).