Born in Hungary, János CZIFRA has been the director of music of the Salzburg Dom since 1989. Apart from his liturgical services, Janos Czifra has arranged the music for the choir and the orchestra of the cathedral for internationally recognized big events such as the visit of the Pope to Salzburg, Episcopal consecration and jubilees, and festivals of sacred music and symposiums. Numerous concert tours led Janos Czifra and the Cathedral Choir to the USA, to Japan and to various European cities. Due to his international reputation, Janos Czifra has repeatedly been invited as conductor or juror in Europe and overseas.

In 2002 Janos Czifra was admitted into the European Academy of Science and Arts and thus given the title "Professor ".

Interview with Prof. János CZIFRA

János Czifra, director of music of the Salzburg Dom, conductor of workshop „G"

- What memories will You have of Pécs Cantat 2010? In a few years how will you remember this August?
- The whole city lived in the spirit of this chorus festival only. If one took a walk in the downtown area, every venue and time of day had its culmination - I think of the open music events, individual concerts, Open Singings, open dances and the workshop concerts. I have never crossed such a festival that offers such a wide range of program options and sparking so great interest. Honestly, congratulations to the organizers! Before I have left for Pécs, the Salzburg Festivities were already on, and when I will get back it still will be running...but there won't be such coming and going as here. That event is only attended by the Austrian elite, since the the entrance fee for the concerts are very expensive. While, talking of Pécs Cantat, it was for all the participants and also the citizens of Pécs which is a very heart-warming feature.
- You, as the leading musician of the Salzburg Dom, have the opportunity to compare the two „neighbouring" but obviously different musical cultures. What knowledge can You share with the reader in this regard?
- I was very pleased and was enlightening to have the opportunity to deal with Pécs and international choral life also. Because of the liturgical service I have to perform in Salzburg I have very slight chance to travel. This festival gave me the opportunity to face the wide range of Hungarian repertoir and the local choral life. The differences that obviously exist, are rooted in the musicological traditions of the two countries: while in Austria the definitive feature is the Viennese „mature" Classical style and its modern followers, in Hungary we have the works of the Hungarian musical geniuses of the 20th century.
I am moved because of the fact that members of the chorus-generation that were educated according to the teachings of Kodály and Bartók, could have paid their respects on one of the greatest Hungarian National Days, August 20, with this monumental choral work, Psalmus Hungaricus to the greatest figures of Hungarian musicology and our first King. I am most truly grateful that I had the chance to be part of this miracle.

The interview was made by Zoltán Major.