Help me get to Boston!

Dear Patrons,

I would like to introduce myself and ask for Your help to support my studies.

I am Barna Károly, a 21-year-old cellist student. I was born and raised in Hungary, but because of my studies I moved to Vienna, Austria in the autumn of 2018.

In June 2019 I was advised by one of my two great professors, the world renowned soloist István Várdai, to go to college in the United States. I found the New England Conservatory in Boston the most attractive with its great faculty and its wide range of courses.

Still before the pandemic I attended the live audition in Boston. After a long month of waiting I got the thrilling news that I’ve got a place in the university! I felt so excited and honored, as only less than 10% of the cellist applicants passed the auditions. Unfortunately I could not join NEC in last fall because of financial reasons. This year I got accepted again and looking forward to make this life changing opportunity become true!!

My professor will be the Andorran cellist Lluìs Claret, whose godfather was no one less than Pablo Casals, one of the greatest cellists of all time.

I believe the way teachers and students are expressing themselves at the New England Conservatory and how they see and live music would be extremely inspiring, enriching and instructive to me. I think a school like NEC is exactly what I need right now, to be surrounded by hard working people with a clear idea of who they are, what they want to achieve as a musician and with an open mind. I also believe that the environment of NEC will make me grow on a personal level. Of course as a musician, but also as a young guy who has still so much to discover from life. I have the feeling studying there would give me the opportunity to develop myself in the direction of who I want to be one day.

My parents have supported me financially so far, enabling my learning opportunities, but unfortunately my family is in no position to afford college fees... Yet I’m very grateful to have received the Dean’s scholarship ($27,500). To fulfill the remaining money -$24,500- to pay my tuition I have to ask you, I have to ask the community for help. Any amount of money would help me to get closer to my dreams and to give me the chance of developing my potential to the best of my abilities.

Please consider contributing what you can, and sharing this page with people you know, even if you can't contribute.

I hope my music will reach you one day. I hope it will express my gratitude towards each and every one of you, and above all my love for the music.

Gratefully,

Barna

Curriculum vitae:

Barna Károly (05/03/2000) started to play the cello at the age of five in the music school of his hometown Kaposvár, Hungary. During his years in primary school he won a number of regional competitions and he was awarded twice (2008, 2011) second prize at the national cello competition. In 2010 he won his category at the Talents for Europe international competition in Slovakia.

From 2014-2018 Barna studied at the Kodály-school in Kecskemét (Hungary) with Márta Agócs.

In 2015 he was awarded second prize at the Talents for Europe Competition and a few months later he got third prize at the VI. David Popper International Cello Competition.

The following year -2016- he got into the precollege class of Róbert Nagy (principal cellist of the Vienna Philharmonic) at the Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien - Mdw.

In 2017 he won second prize with his group at the national chamber music competition of Hungary.

Later the same year Barna won first prize at the VII. David Popper International Cello Competition and was awarded ‘Talent of the year’ prize from the city of Kecskemét.

In 2018 he appeared in Pécs with one of the leading orchestra’s in Hungary, the Pannon Philharmonic as well as in Kecskemét with the symphony orchestra of the city.

Since 2018 he is studying in Vienna with Peter Somodari, principal cellist of the Vienna Philharmonic and with the world renowned soloist, István Várdai.

In the summer of both 2016 and 2017 Barna took part in the Summer String Academy of Indiana University at the invitation of Susan Moses and Csaba Onczay.

He followed masterclasses with Camille Thomas and István Várdai at Kaposfest, Hungary. During the summer of 2017 he also took part in the International Orchestra Institute of the Vienna Philharmonic in Attergau, Austria.

In January 2019 he won second prize at the 13th Jan Vychytil Cello Competition in Prague.

He also successfully auditioned for the Chamber Academy Foundation. The jury of this audition consisted of world renowned names such as violinist Kristóf Baráti, violist Máté Szűcs, pianist Zoltán Fejérvári and cellist István Várdai.

As the member of Altalena Music Ensemble he played a pianotrio recital in London and in the Marble Hall of the Hungarian Radio, a recital in the iconic basilica of Pannonhalma and he was invited to play a solo recital in Bern, Switzerland. Most recently in January he won third prize at the 12th Antonio Janigro International Cello Competition in Zagreb.