Péter Tornyai is a composer/violin and viola player who has a special affinity for small ensembles and the Italian language. His compositions are atmospheric, descriptive, and luminous soundscapes, and often with an Italian title. With lyrical delicacy, he paints intriguing sonic canvases which often take inspiration from classic sources. “Tornyai’s artfully conceived triptych, in absolute concordance with James Joyce’s surreal texts, achieved sublime levels of sensuality and sweetness,” wrote one critic. 

His works have won numerous competitions, such as Wiener Konzerthaus’s “Towards the Next 100 Years” (2012), Gerhardus-prize (2011), UMZF’s First Prize in chamber music (2011), Junior Prima Prize (2016), and the Artisjus Prize in 2017 and 2025.

His scores have been performed around the world by the JACK Quartet, Stadler Quartet, Asasello Quartett, Benyounes Quartet, Kelemen Quartet, UMZE, Hungarian National Philharmonic, Hungarian Radio Symphonic Orchestra, Concerto Budapest, Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, Wiener Kammerorchester, and Philharmonisches Staatsorchester Mainz.

Since 2013, he has been the artistic director of the Anima Musicae Contemporary Music Workshop. He is a founding member of CentriFUGA contemporary music group, and the Hermina Artist Collective. After years of playing viola in the Dohnányi Quartet, he now teaches composition, orchestration, analysis, and contemporary music at the Liszt Academy.