Concert by Antal Zalai & Adam Heron

These musicians are virtuosos in the truest sense of the word, and together they will perform an exciting program spanning a wide range – from beloved classical works to wild gypsy-inspired music. Antal Zalai comes from a Roma family, and Adam Heron has roots in Nigeria and the Philippines. The program has been designed so that all the pieces have some connection to their family heritage.

About the musicians:

Antal Zalai was born in Budapest into a Roma family of musicians – his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather were all violinists. At the age of twelve, he gained international recognition, and the following year he performed for Isaac Stern, who predicted a bright future for him. At fifteen, Zalai attracted attention with his performance of Bartók’s first violin concerto at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music as part of the celebration of Yehudi Menuhin’s 80th birthday. Menuhin himself praised Zalai as “one of the most interesting young violinists” he had met.

In addition to his concert activities, Zalai has gained a large international following on YouTube, where his performances of, among other works, all 24 Paganini Caprices have been viewed millions of times. Antal works daily as a violin professor at the conservatories in Brussels and plays on a 1733 Stradivarius violin.

Adam Heron is of Nigerian-Filipino origin and resides in the UK. He became known as a finalist in the BBC Young Musician competition in 2018 and won the Harriet Cohen Bach Prize in 2020. He has also won international competitions in Trieste and Morocco, studied at the Royal Academy of Music under Christopher Elton, and later completed a master’s degree in ethnology and ethnomusicology at the University of Cambridge.

In addition to playing the piano, Adam is also a composer and conductor. He has performed with orchestras such as the Chineke! Orchestra and with musicians such as Chi-chi Nwanoku CBE and Amy Dickson. He has played on many major stages, from Wigmore Hall in London to the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Mumbai. He is currently a PhD student at the University of Glasgow.

The concert is supported by Konsertfelagið.