Serbian violinist Robert Lakatos was recently named as winner of the 12th Pablo Sarasate Violin Competition in Pamplona. He is an exciting new talent on the world stage with a string of international competitions under his belt and a rich and varied career. I got in touch with him to find out more.

Bach – Violin Concerto No. 2 in E major ; Robert Lakatos – 1st movement

I’m sure that we will be hearing much of your work in the future, but at the moment you are perhaps not yet so well known to our readers. Could you introduce yourself?

I was born in 1991 in Novi Sad, Serbia. I was introduced to music aged five by my father, who is also a violinist. When I was fourteen, I became the youngest student at the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad, where I studied with Dejan Mihailovic. I also studied at the Zurich University of Arts with Rudolf Koelman. I’ve been successful in several prizes, as well as the Sarasate, including the Mary Smart competition in New York and the Jeunnesses Musicales competition in Bucharest. As well as solo playing, I’m also involved in orchestral playing, chamber music and teaching – I’m the concertmaster of the Camerata Academica in Novi Sad, and I am a member of the Valmaro piano trio. And from September, I’m going to be a professor at the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad.

I’m very lucky to play on the Svetozar Bogdanoski violin and bow hand made by Vladimir Radosavljevic world famous bowmaker. From this year, I became Thomasrik-artist. Currently, I am using Thomastik-Infled string.

How was your experience of the Sarasate Competition? It must be a highlight for you – could you identify some other recent highlights?

It’s a wonderful feeling to win such an important competition. The city of Pamplona was an inspiring place, and gave me a desire to give my best. The final was a special moment – I played in front of thousands of people and got to play with the great symphony orchestra of Navarra. Recently, I had a great time at the Summit Music Festival in New York, where I had many opportunities to perform solo works, chamber music, as well as masterclasses and was able to work intensively with the great violinist Aaron Rosand. I’m also very excited to become professor at Academy of Arts in Novi Sad. I love pedagogy, and I am very much looking forward to work with many young students.

What are your plans for the near future?. Do you have particular repertoire you would like to explore?

I am looking forward to my upcoming performances and can’t wait to start teaching at the Academy. Currently I am working on some 20th Century violin concertos such as the Prokofiev Second, Korngold and Stravinsky. I am also working on Paganini’s 24 Caprices which I would like to perform next year.

Which other musicians, especially violinists, do you admire?

Jascha Heifetz, David Oistrakh, and Maxim Vengerov

What are you listening to at the moment?

I am listening to some great music by the Russian composer Sergey Taneyev – his Piano Quintet in G minor, Op.30.

What was the first piece of music that made an impression on you?

One of the first pieces that made an impression on me were Paganini’s Caprices. I started working on them since the age of nine – I find them technically very demanding, but at the same time very interesting musically too.

Do you have any interests outside of music?

My other passion beside the violin is table tennis!

Robert Lakatos is the winner of the 2015 Sarasate Competition.

Official Website

VALMARO Piano Trio
piano – Valentina Nenaseva
violin – Robert Lakatos
violoncello – Marko Miletic

Sergei Rachmaninov
Piano Trio No.1 in g-minor “élégiaque”