Art manager Beáta Schanda passes away

Beáta Schanda studied library and music teaching at the Bessenyei György Teacher Training College from 1975, graduated in cultural management at the University of Pécs in 2005, and in 2015 she also obtained degree in dance teaching, dance theory and history at the Hungarian Dance University.

She worked as a school teacher and from 1981 she was the head of the Jeunesses Musicales Hungary for more than ten years. Se has also served as Executive Director and Secretary of the Budapest International Music Competitions and was a member of the Board of the International and European Music Councils.

From 1992 to 2001, she worked at the Interart Festival Centre and then as an Associate Professor at the Hungarian Dance University. During her career, she has hosted several radio and TV programmes. Bea Schanda was awarded the White Rose Prize in 2003 and the Miklós Bánffy Prize in 2005. In 2022 she was awarded the György Lőrinc Prize for her work at the Hungarian Dance University.

Since 2014, she has been involved as a creative colleague in the creation of the Éva Marton International Singing Competition, successfully running four competitions up to 2021. She has been a member of the professional staff of the Bartók World Competition since its inception in 2017, and has been involved in the organisation and implementation of five different instrumental and composition competitions. Unfortunately, she was unable to participate in the preparations for the 2022 competitions due to her illness. As secretary of the jury, she advised on the rules of the competitions and played an important role in coordinating the work of the jury and in the management of the rounds of both events. With her calmness and always objective comments, she contributed significantly to the high quality of the competitions and their international recognition. Her sadly untimely departure is a great loss for all of us.