conductors


		The Helsinki Strings are conducted by their founders, Csaba and Géza Szilvay.

		Csaba Szilvay was born in Budapest, Hungary in 1941. He studied the cello at the Béla Bartók Conservatory and the Budapest Music Academy as a student of Professor Antal Friss. After having received his diploma in Budapest in 1970, he studied at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki with Professor Erkki Rautio.From 1971 to 1976 he taught the cello at the Jyväskylä Conservatory in Finland. Since 1976 he has been teaching at the East Helsinki Music Institute and since 1978 also at the Sibelius Academy.



					Géza Szilvay was born in Budapest in 1943. He studied the violin at the Béla Bartók Conservatory and violin pedagogics at the Budapest Music Academy, where he graduated in 1966. He also studied law and political science at the ELTE University in Budapest and took his doctor's degree in 1970. Since 1971 he has been teaching the violin at the East Helsinki Music Institute and since 1978 at the Sibelius Academy as well. In 1984 he was appointed Principal of the East Helsinki Music Institute.



		The Szilvay brothers have gained international recognition both as string pedagogues and as conductors and educators of children's and youth orchestras. In recognition of their work for youth culture they were awarded the Knight Order of the Finnish Lion in1981, The Culture Prize of Finland in 1983, The Hungarian State Award for Cultural Activity in 1990, the Culture Prize of Helsinki in 1995 and the “Pro Musica” Award in 1999.