"The main aim of the International Eötvös Institute is to provide an opportunity for young conductors and composers - whose studies were based on the valuable traditions of the past-, to achieve an understanding how to build a relationship with contemporary music, musicians, composers and the audience.

We have enough experience to know that new music and its special problems also sets new tasks and demands for the education of conductors. Technical teaching is not nearly enough: there must be a close study of different styles of composition, gestural-communicative ability, analytic hearing, knowledge of instruments, acoustics and the financial implications, historical perspective, ability to see into the future etc.

Our programs include some important works of the 20th century with detailed analyses to show how to understand and learn those pieces. Most of the time we are not able to provide an orchestra to conduct for the participants, but we attribute great importance to the analytic and detailed understanding of these pieces.

Last years we had more than 50 participants, conductors and composers from 19 countries (Australia, Belgium, Brasilia, Canada, England, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, The Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United States), some of them took part in two or more programs and return from year to year.

We are very glad to hear that former participants of our institute have found places with excellent ensembles and orchestras or have founded new ensembles and have had success with their programs. We do our best to help them in their work and to find new ways of promoting them."

Peter Eötvös