Kati Sebestyén

Hungarian-Belgian violinist Kati Sebestyén brings a wealth of musical and teaching experience to the classroom as the Main Subject Teacher Violin. She was head of the string section at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels, played in the Haydn Quartet, and is the violin-conductor of the Sebastian Strings. 

Kati studied at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest and at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels before graduating with honours from the Chapelle Musicale Reine Elisabeth in Belgium. As a violinist and chamber musician, she has given recitals and made recordings for radio and television across Europe and the US. She founded the chamber music ensemble Contrasts, with which she recorded several CDs. In 1985, she co-founded the Cours International de Musique in Morges, Switzerland, which later evolved into the Académie Musicale de Morges in 2007. She also founded the Ervin Schiffer International Music Master Classes in Tata, Hungary. In recognition of her contributions, the city of Tata granted her honorary citizenship in 2011for her “outstanding musical and artistic achievements and exemplary human conduct”. Two years later, she was awarded the prestigious Darche Prize, given for outstanding contributions to the world of music. She is regularly invited to serve as a judge or give masterclasses at universities and conservatories worldwide, including the University of North Carolina (US) and Veracruz (Mexico). 

Her main source of inspiration is the violin tradition of her native Hungary. "This tradition has produced many outstanding musicians who have shaped European cultural life and inspired countless 20th-century composers", she says. In her lessons, Kati emphasizes exploring all aspects of violin playing, including the latest trends. "I focus on relaxed, tension-free playing and a high level of body awareness. I combine this with a deep commitment to understanding the composers' intentions - in short: the art of reading the score."