George Vukán was a spellbinding virtuoso and one of most versatile musicians in Hungary and Europe.
He graduated from the Ferenc Liszt Academy as a classical pianist, at age 18 years old only. Remarkably, also holds a degree in dentistry, /1959 – 1964 , Medical University Budapest – a profession he still practices. He is the creator of the medical world patent: DMA.
Since he was a child, for more than 40 years he has been giving concerts, at the beginning especially as classical and then mostly as a jazz piano artist in different formations./solo, duo, trio, ensemble, big-band, symphonic etc./ As a guest artist, has appeared all around Europe and he was invited for concert tours of a month to USA /1983,1984/.
He played together with such brilliant names as Philly Joe Jones, Clifford Jordan, Linda Hopkins, Annette Lowman, Frank Foster, Clarck Terry, Kenny Wheeler etc. In 1991 he played with his CREATIVE ART TRIO at SEVILLA WORLD EXPO, where their concerts were always a huge success. Also in 1991 he gave concerts as a soloist in JAPAN. In 1992 he headed and conducted the Big Band Workshop of the EUROPEAN BROADCASTING UNION, participated musicians from 17 countries of Europe, who performed mainly his own compositions Contrasts, Swing, Blues. He had a great success also as a composer, pianist and conductor. The concert he played with his trio with the Ferenc Liszt Chamber Orchestra 1996 in Holland, was the ‘Concert of the Year’ Chopin transcriptions. His compositions dedicated for many formations – as CHAMBER or SYMPHONIC ORCHESTRAS – mostly Concertos for solo instrument & orchestra – which achieved huge success also at home and abroad.
During his career he has also written more than 130 film scores 2 nominated also for Oscar, 80 songs Frederico Garcia Lorca, Pablo Neruda etc. all the 150 Psalms for a capella choir, opera /Black Advent/, 6 ballet–music /Derby etc./, Mass /for symphonic orchestra, soloists & choir/, background-music for theatre, television-films, radio-plays, as well.
Between 1985-1991 he was the leader and composer-conductor of the CREATIVE ART ENSEMBLE. The derivatives of this ensemble were later on the CREATIVE ART TRIO (since 1990) and CREATIVE AT GROUP. Since 1999 he is working together with Eszter HORGAS. They founded together the ClassJazzBand, performed many successful concerts Debussy, Crossover, Spanish Night recorded 8 CD-till now. At the last few years they are working also in duo formations also in ballet-productions. Gershwin, Bach etc. In 2002 at the Miskolc Operafestival was the first performance of his crossover – transcription of PUCCINI : LA BOHÉME participating together with Eszter HORGAS as Mimi and the Budapest Jazz Orchestra. This was the first crossover-opera-transcription.
Two more opera-transcriptions are also ready for first performance: GERSHWIN : PORGY&BESS, and VUKÁN : BLACK ADVENT. His ballet entitled DERBY based on the novel by Horace McCoy’s: „They Shoot Horses Don’t They „– was performed by the Hungarian State Opera House for more than 3 years. He composed his MASS, to the LORD, JESUS CHRIST in 1989 influenced by the historical changes in Hungary and he dedicated this work to John Paul 2nd, on the occasion of the Holy Father’s first visit to Hungary in 1991.
His opera entitled BLACK ADVENT Atlanta, Georgia was performed by the Hungarian State Opera House. This was the first opera-premier of XXI. Century at the Opera. The Hungarian Cultural Center introduced him to the LONDON audience. In 1999 he played at the London Jazz Festival, and in 2002 at the Pizza Express as a part of the Anglo-Hungarian Jazz weekend. In September 2004, he performed with his group, Creative Art Trio, alongside Gerard Presencer at the Bloomsbury Rheatre in London and played also on the opening ceremony in 2003 of MAGYAR MAGIC before the royal family with great success.
In 2005 he made a duo concert together with famous opera-singer Andrea MELÁTH /Contemporary Hungarian Composers – Bartók-Kodály-Vukán/. In 2005 he made ballet arrangements from the music of Gershwin, Bach and Chopin performed by the Budapest Dance Theatre with choreography of Béla FÖLDY. /The Rhythm of the Blood, Hommáge á J.S.Bach, Visual Notes/ all with live music performance /Horgas-Vukán/. In 2005 they performed a concert at the KlazzFestival with the trio at the Miskolc Symphonic Orchetra, singer Gábor Winand , conductor László Kovács. They played only his own symphonic compositions, such as the Capriccio Espagnole, a concerto for trio & orchestra, etc.