György Ligeti

György Sándor Ligeti (Hungarian: Ligeti György Sándor [ˈliɡɛti ˈɟørɟ ˈʃaːndor]; 28 May 1923 – 12 June 2006) was a composer of contemporary classical music. He has been described as "one of the most important avant-garde composers in the latter half of the twentieth century" and "one of the most innovative and influential among progressive figures of his time".

Born in Transylvania, Romania, he lived in Hungary before emigrating to Austria in 1956, and became an Austrian citizen in 1968. In 1973 he became professor of composition at the Hamburg Hochschule für Musik und Theater until he retired in 1989. He died in Vienna in 2006.

Restricted by the authorities of Communist Hungary, only when he reached the west in 1956 could he fully realise his passion for avant-garde music and develop new compositional techniques. After experimenting with electronic music in Cologne, his breakthrough came with orchestral works such as Atmosphères, for which he used a technique he later dubbed micropolyphony. After writing his "anti-opera" Le Grand Macabre, Ligeti shifted away from chromaticism and towards polyrhythm for his later works.

György Ligeti (musician)

György Ligeti (Hungarian pronunciation: [ˈɟørɟ ˈliɡɛti]; born 19 December 1972) is a Hungarian indie musician, record producer, best known as the lead singer, songwriter, lyricist and guitarist of the indie rock band We Are Rockstars, and the disbanded The Puzzle. He is also the singer and guitarist of the Hungarian electro band, Žagar. He is not related to the avant-garde classical composer of the same name, György Ligeti (1923-2006).

Early life and personal life

Ligeti was born in Kaposvár, Hungary. He attended the Munkácsy Mihály Gimnázium és Szakközépiskola in Kaposvár. Ligeti obtained a Master of Arts in Communication and media studies from the University of Pécs in 2012.

Ligeti moved to London, United Kingdom where he worked as a shop assistant at the Algerian Coffee Stores from 2004 to 2009.

On 26 February 2009, Ligeti was interviewed by Magyar Rádió.

In 2010 Ligeti became the radio presenter of the Stockholm Syndrome Radio which aims to present new Hungarian indie rock bands.