Diploma (Franz Liszt Academy, Budapest)
Limited Term Associate Professor
University Orchestra (Conductor)
MacLaurin Building (Music Wing)
By Appointment
jsandor@uvic.ca
János Sándor graduated with distinction from the "Franz Liszt" Academy of Music in Budapest. As a student at the Academy he won third prize at the Besanön (France) International Conductors Competition. From 1961-1975 he was Principal Conductor of the Györ Philharmonic Orchestra and Music Director of Opera Pecs, both in Hungary. In 1975 he was appointed Conductor of the Budapest State Opera and from 1986-1989 he was Head of the Music Department of the Academy of Drama and Film in Budapest. János Sándor has conducted Hungary's top symphony orchestras and has appeared as a guest conductor with numerous other orchestras in more than twenty countries. His interest in young people has led to his involvement with many youth orchestras, including the Festivals of Canadian Youth Orchestras in Banff, Alberta, where he conducted the Gala concert of the inaugural festival in 1974. A founding member of Jeunesses Musicales in Hungary, he has regularly conducted the International Orchestra of the "Jeunesses" camp at Pecs, and has been an invited guest conductor at International Youth Orchestra Festivals in Switzerland and Scotland. He has made more than 30 recordings. His recording for Hungaroton of Bartok's Miraculous Mandarin, Dance Suite and Hungarian Peasant Songs, in the complete edition of Bartok's works, qualified as one of "the best five recordings of the year" in Hi-Fi News, and it was awarded the Arthur Honegger Prize of the Grand Prix Nationale du Disque. Since coming to Canada in 1991, Mr. Sándor has been guest conductor with the Victoria Symphony Orchestra, the CBC Vancouver Orchestra, the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, the Victoria International Festival Orchestra, the Civic Orchestra and the Greater Victoria Youth Orchestra, as well as the Sonor Ensemble of San Diego.
In September 1995 Mr. Sándor joined the University of Victoria as Artist-in-Residence, and Music Director and Conductor of the University of Victoria Orchestra and Chorus. Mr. Sándor was appointed Music Director of the Greater Victoria Youth Orchestra in September 1998. He retains his ties with Hungary as Guest Conductor of the Budapest State Opera and as music Director Laureate and Honorary Life Member of the Györ Philharmonic Orchestra. Mr. Sándor was featured in the Gala concert celebrating the opening of CBC Victoria, and was Special Guest Conductor at the May 1999 Ontario Festival of Youth Orchestras.
Mahler: Symphony of thousands- rehearsal. UVIC Chorus, combined UVIC Orchestra and Greater Victoria Youth Orchestra
Conducting the Györ Philharmonic