Attila Lezsák

Viola

There were no musicians in my family at all. My sense of music became apparent in kindergarten, during a music school audition; I was selected by them as the only boy. In primary school, in class two, my teacher suggested my parents to take me to learn the violin. And they did so, and I got an excellent teacher. It was the beginning of my career, which led directly to the Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra.

As a child, I hated practicing; I felt it was only eating up my time I could have spent doing different things. But my sense of duty was stronger, and it happened only once that I fled to play football instead of playing the violin.
I have always moved forward taking the next step. I was not a conscious kid who imagined himself as an adult. I was talented with the violin, I knew that, so my path was the conservatory and then the Liszt Academy. With time, the desire to play in a great orchestra was born. I never dreamed of living as a soloist. I suppose I am not exhibitionist for that. As a child, I hated the ceremony of welcoming Santa, because I was too tense when I was given the pack of gifts. I would need courage and perhaps more talent to be able to perform alone on stage. The orchestra means safety to me; but I enjoy playing in a quintet, too.

However, it did not occur to me that I could ever be a member of the Liszt Ferenc Chamber Orchestra–it simply seemed unthinkable. Until Lili Ádor called and told me that János Rolla is looking for a violinist who is willing to play the viola. As I had played the viola at the Academy, I was more than ‘willing’. It was 21 years ago, and I am extremely fortunate to having been able to play together with my childhood idols at the age of 28.

What makes this profession so hard is that the sensibility, necessary for the artist to perform, can make life complicated. Performing arts come with feedback, which, when in a negative direction, are capable to add bitterness to joy. The perception depends on the current state of the audience; their feedback has a huge impact on me even now. Interestingly, feedback from laymen tells even more about the concert. But come what comes, playing music with its mental and spiritual impact, is a driving force strong enough to get me on stage again and again. It is a fantastic experience when we play music leaving everything behind, and thus the moments of harmony are born. It gives such a joy that nowadays I can look at a well-performed concert of ours that, whatever people say, it was great.

(Notes by Sarolta Gálfi / www.azember.hu)