BBJ: When was your musical affinity clearly decided?

Domonkos Héja: I was born into a family of musicians, and from the very first moment, my parents guided me toward a musical career. In their view, a future conductor must become familiar with the world of instruments. I first learned to play the piano, then the violin. Later, the palette expanded with percussion instruments and trumpet studies. After graduating from the Liszt Academy Conservatory at the age of 19, I founded the Danubia Orchestra, of which I was the artistic director for 10 years. As recognition for this wonderful period, I received the Ferenc Liszt Award.

BBJ: You studied in the conducting program of the Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music as a student of Ervin Lukács. Didn’t you win first prize in a significant contest during this period?

DH: Yes, the ninth conducting competition of Hungarian Television was in 1998, and it essentially defined my entire life. In the finals, I conducted the most challenging piece, “Roman Festivals” by Respighi. It was an astonishingly difficult work, yet the Hungarian Radio Symphony Orchestra performed it brilliantly that evening. I was awarded the Audience Prize and the special György Solti Prize.

BBJ: What other awards have you won?

DH: My work has been recognized with the Artisjus Award, the Gundel Art Award, and the Junior Prima Art Award. These achievements brought significant changes to the repertoire of works I had conducted up to that point.

BBJ: The opera genre has always been very close to you. Night after night, the audience applauded your performances with standing ovations, as I can say from personal experience!

DH: I made my debut with the Hungarian State Opera’s performance of Puccini’s “La Bohéme,” and then, between 2011 and 2013, as the general music director of the Opera House. From 2005 to 2012, I also served as principal conductor of the Chemnitz Opera in Germany.

BBJ: Did these earlier achievements lead to the foreign concert invitations?

DH: With an ever-expanding repertoire and growing professional connections, I have frequently appeared as a guest conductor with the State Philharmonic Orchestra of Kosice, the Macedonian Philharmonic Orchestra, the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, and several major German orchestras. From 2015, I worked as the general music director of the Staats-Theater Augsburg, Bavaria, and lived in the city with my family.

BBJ: This year, you were awarded the position of general music director of the MRME, following an open application process and with the support of the orchestra members. What plans have you brought back home with you from Augsburg?

DH: All three ensembles, the Hungarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Hungarian Radio Choir, and the Hungarian Radio Children’s Choir, represent an enormous challenge. They belong in the top category in Europe. I will naturally serve as conductor at the helm of the symphony orchestra. As for the choir, Máté Szabó Sipos will take on the responsibilities of chief choir leader. During our joint work, I would like to raise the already high standards even further. Expanding the repertoire is always a task, since countless works await performance, from the Baroque to contemporary music. All three ensembles approach different genres with incredible sensitivity.

BBJ: And what is the most important goal you have set for yourself as general music director?

DH: Improving the relationship with the audience is essential. But what is even more critical is fostering young people’s interest in classical music. It is crucial to broaden the younger generation’s musical education and understanding. Children between the ages of three and eight are the most receptive in this respect. Music education must, therefore, include their families, as this helps the experience of music become more deeply rooted in their young hearts. And, of course, I would like to enhance the reputations of all three ensembles, both at home and abroad.

BBJ: What is the main task for the upcoming 2026/27 season?

DH: We are preparing for another exciting season. Alongside the well-known classical music audience favorites, we again intend to present contemporary works. The MRME name itself is already a guarantee of high quality and exceptional music sound, and the invited conductors and soloists are among the finest in both the Hungarian and international music scenes. Our chamber music series is special because it allows us to discover an entirely different side of artists. And what must be highlighted regarding the next season is that we will be celebrating a Beethoven memorial year.

BBJ: When will you first meet the Budapest audience in 2026?

DH: On Jan. 9, we will perform an evening of works by Russian composers at the Academy of Music with the Hungarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, featuring opera singer Mihai Damian Alongside Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition” and the “Songs and Dances of Death” song cycle, the program will also include Rimsky-Korsakov’s “The Tale of Tsar Saltan.”

This article was first published in the Budapest Business Journal print issue of December 12, 2025.