The Bard College Conservatory of Music will present Signs, Games & Messages 2025: A Kurtág Festival, a three-day celebration of Hungarian composer György Kurtág’s work and legacy. The festival, which is free and open to the public, runs from Feb. 29 to March 2 on Bard’s campus.
Curated by pianist and conductor Benjamin Hochman, the festival will feature four distinct performances that highlight Kurtág’s compositions alongside those of composers who influenced him or were shaped by his work. The event brings together Bard faculty, students, and guest artists in a series of concerts that explore Kurtág’s musical language and its relationship to literature and history.
“The Kurtág Festival is a remarkable opportunity for students, faculty, guest artists, and audiences to engage deeply with the work of one of the most profound musical voices of our time,” said Frank Corliss, director of the Bard College Conservatory of Music. “This festival fosters a unique environment where musicians of all ages come together to explore, interpret, and celebrate Kurtág’s artistry in conversation with other great composers.”
The festival is named after Signs, Games & Messages, one of Kurtág’s signature compositions, and serves as an annual platform for exploring his music. It will feature guest performances by violist Ken Hakii, violinist Hiromi Kikuchi, and double bassist Will Langlie-Miletich, along with Bard Conservatory faculty members including pianist Rieko Aizawa, violinist Luosha Fang, soprano Lucy Fitz Gibbon, and pianist Benjamin Hochman.
