Performers include world-renowned artists on piano, strings, and vocals, presenting a blend of chamber music, orchestral works, and immersive experiences that highlight Kurtág’s innovative use of fragments and silences. Tickets are affordable and widely available, with many events also livestreamed for global audiences. 

György Kurtág was born on February 19, 1926, in Lugoj, located in the Banat region, a city that became part of Romania after the Treaty of Versailles. Kurtág's first significant musical influence was pianist and pedagogue Magda Kardos, who played a crucial role in shaping his artistic direction and encouraged him to teach younger students - a role he maintained throughout his life.

While attending the Budapest Academy of Music, he reconnected with György Ligeti and studied with notable instructors such as Ferenc Farkas. A pivotal period in his development occurred during his time in Paris (1957–58), where he studied under Olivier Messiaen and Darius Milhaud. On his return journey, a stop in Cologne led to meetings with Ligeti and exposure to the works of Karlheinz Stockhausen, which profoundly influenced his musical language.

In Budapest, Kurtág composed his first string quartet, Opus 1, marking the true beginning of his creative output. While his music was published in Hungary by Editio Musica Budapest, his international presence was promoted by Universal Edition, particularly through works such as The Sayings of Péter Bornemisza, Eight Piano Pieces, and Four Songs on Poems by János Pilinszky.

These pieces, often demanding in their precision and expressive depth, have become cornerstones of the 20th and 21st-century repertoire.

Today, Kurtág is recognized as one of the foremost living composers, known for music that combines economical means with intense emotional and intellectual impact. His distinguished honors include the Royal Philharmonic Society Gold Medal (2013) and the BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Prize in Contemporary Music (2015).

Kurtág’s influence extends far beyond Hungary, with performances, scholarly symposia, and festivals dedicated to his work across Europe and the Americas.