Blanka Kerekes

“I was in search for the instrument that suits my personality. The Sankyo flutes’ voice quality is as dynamic, strong, and rich as it is soft, expressive and smooth. These flutes are mechanically reliable, too, without having to make a compromise. The Sankyo flute enables the creation of versatile interpretations and sound worlds. I feel deep affection for this flute and the instrument and I are in perfect harmony.”

Blanka Kerekes obtained her Master of Arts in Music Performance and Pedagogy degrees with distinctions at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest in Dániel Tősér’s class and at the Zurich University of the Arts in the class of Prof. Matthias Ziegler. Blanka has been awarded the National Scholarship of Hungary.

Some key insights from her innovative Master thesis research, with special regard to modern flute technics, can be acquired already at an early age at music school and have high potential to create a positive impact on pedagogical approaches.

Blanka Kerekes is associate professor at the Musikhochschule Zürich. She is a jury member of several national and international music competitions and festivals, and a member of the Aargauer Search Committee for the Cultural Award in Classical and Jazz Music. Blanka holds guest artist teacher positions at renowned universities. She receives invitations to deliver master classes across Europe and Asia on a regular basis, for instance, Alexander Arutiunian International Wind Festival in Armenia, Talent Summer Courses and Opera Festival in Italy, and FRYMON International Woodwind Festival in Albania.

She performs as a soloist in several countries in Europe. She is praised by the press for her grandiose performances, musically versatile and unique sounding. She creates her own musical language by blending elements from the classical and jazz styles. She enhances the audience’s experience by using different electro-acoustic equipment creatively borrowed from jazz and pop music as well as integrating live and pre-recorded electronic into her unique-sounding concerts. As per the request of collaborative artists (co-artists), she contributes her performances by free improvisations or by her self-composed music pieces.

Blanka plays regularly with the legendary violinist Roby Lakatos. She is a special guest of the Summer Music Festival of the Esterházy Palace in Austria. In 2020, Blanka represented her country as the only Hungarian artist performing at the ‘Day of Europe’ online concert initiated by the World Economic Forum. As a soloist, she received an invitation to play at Veszprém city’s opening ceremony of the European Capital of Culture Jubilee in 2023. She has played with numerous famous musicians and orchestras, for instance, the Tonhalle Orchester Zürich, Zürich Opera, Zürcher Kammerorchester, Hans Zender, musicians from the Berliner Philharmoniker. She works regularly with ballet dancers from major opera houses in the world (Sydney Opera House, New York Metropolitan Opera, etc.) as well as Oscar-nominated film directors and producers.