Gregory Vajda’s musical language [is] a unique modern tongue, not triadic or modal, but definitely his own, and characterized by skillful use of winds and percussion to cook up little sonic worlds that burbled and bubbled like extraterrestrial bodies. The piece’s overall effect was a scintillating, almost irradiated texture,” a Bachtrack reviewer wrote. A French publication proclaimed his 2025 concert in Poitiers as “a sonic tour of rare intensity.”
Known on two continents (Europe and the U.S.) for his outstanding musical achievements, Vajda has an enviable international career as both a composer and conductor. In the U.S., he has been the maestro for the Huntsville (AL) Symphony Orchestra since 2011. In Europe, he was appointed Artist in Residence and later Principal Guest Conductor of the new music ensemble Ars Nova in France from 2021-2026. He is also the Program Director of the Peter Eötvös Contemporary Music Foundation, the Principal Conductor and Artistic Director of the Savaria Symphony, and the Artistic Director of the UMZE new music ensemble. In 2026 he was appointed Principal Conductor of the Philharmony Transilvania in Cluj Romania, and he makes his debut the same year with the Israel Contemporary Players.
His conducting career also includes leading the Atlanta Opera, Baltimore Symphony, Budapest Wagner Days (Lohengrin revival), Ensemble Intercontemporain, Frankfurt Radio Symphony, Hamburg State Opera, Klangforum Wien, Lanaudiére Festival in Canada, Mostly Mozart Festival at Lincoln Center, Montreal Symphony, Montreal Opera, Opera Palermo, Staatskapelle Dresden, Seattle Symphony, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, and the Toronto Symphony.
His musical works have been performed globally, but especially in European cities. His compositions have earned him the Bartók-Pásztory Award, and the Artisjus Prize two times. He has been a member of the Széchenyi Academy of Letters and Arts since 2019. Mr. Vajda’s music is available on all major online platforms and can be purchased from labels ECM, BMC (Budapest Music Center) and Hungaroton Classic. His publisher is Editio Music Budapest, part of the Universal Music Group.
