When he enters the stage, show laws are overridden: What HAVASI unleashes with his breathtaking mix of classical virtuosity and Las Vegas glamor is a force of nature that makes the crowds flock to his concerts. With more than half a million tickets sold and appearances at the most famous places in the world – including New York’s Carnegie Hall, the Sydney Opera House, the Wembley Arena and the Mercedes Benz Arena in Berlin – the visionary HAVASI has created its own place and is sending it set out to conquer the league of international superstars from there.
“Music is a language that connects us deep in our hearts, no matter where we were born. When I compose, I have images in my head that don’t exist in reality. In order to transport the emotions I have with them, I work with the best film artists in the world for my live shows.”
Another secret behind the HAVASI phenomenon is the dedication to his craft: As a graduate of one of the most renowned conservatories in the world, the Hungarian pianist and composer is a real virtuoso on his instrument. He is inspired by different eras and genres and combines the influences of old masters such as Liszt and Chopin with the cinematic widescreen atmosphere of great film composers and the most exciting elements of modern pop and rock music. From all this, HAVASI creates a unique music spectacle that masters all the nuances between elegance and pyrotechnics with ease.
“Although my background is classical, I like going to rock concerts or EDM festivals. I love that moment when the DJs pick up the pace and the crowd goes wild. I was only able to do that in Carnegie Hall with my piano. It was incredible because the audience reacted like at a festival. It’s that goose bumps moment in front of and on stage that I’m all about…”
The origin of all this lies in HAVASI’s childhood. At the age of four he sat at the piano and practiced for hours in his mother’s attic before he was accepted at the famous Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest. Even then, he felt the rush of classical music when he played the music of the national hero, whom he still deeply admires to this day, but he was just as fascinated by the rock music from his walkman in the back seat of his parents. The defining moment came when he was at a concert at age 12, but it was not Sting or Springsteen who impressed him:
“When Tracy Chapman came on stage to play her hit ‘Fast Car’ on an acoustic guitar, something unique happened: she started singing and suddenly everyone around me was singing along. I sat at the back of one of the cheaper back rows and looked around the stadium where 50,000 people sang along with her. I have never forgotten that goosebump moment.”
Since then he has been trying to create this feeling again and again – for himself and his steadily growing fan base, which is lining up for concerts tickets and has viewed his videos on YouTube more than 125 million times. HAVASI is fully committed to it. In addition to daily practice, he has been practicing martial arts for years to focus energies and prepare his body for the top performance of his shows. His family is his biggest inspiration and plays a special role when, for example, his ten-year-old son accompanies him as a drummer in front of 15,000 people. With his long-standing team, he is constantly working on new stage shows, visual concepts and also uses the support in other areas, which he now also receives from the global market leader Universal Music.
”I’m not interested in genre boundaries like classical music and rock. In my eyes there are only two kinds of music: good and bad. I only want to play what moves me emotionally.”
The best way to dive into HAVASI’s orbit is with the new album THE WORLD OF HAVASI. 14 already released titles and one brand new one open the gates to a fascinating world of music full of emotion – without prejudice or stereotyped thinking. One could start with the overwhelming THE ROAD, which has more than 25 million views on YouTube and heralds the extraordinary journey with sensitive piano and rousing orchestral power.
As one of the many highlights on the album, PRELUDE (AGE OF HEROES) impressively indicates what an experience for all the senses the pieces of the Hungarian entertainer are in a live setting: With a huge range of powerful drums, mystical choral singing and HAVASI’s virtuosic playing, the composition takes off towards limitlessness. One of the many highlights is the drum & piano version of THE DUEL: At a crazy pace, pianist and drummer compete for the enthusiasm of the listeners. Live, no less spectacular, with a drum set hanging from the ceiling of the hall, which revolves around itself during the entire performance – to the roaring applause of the audience.
The unreleased title THE UNCONQUERED is a very unusual piece. It begins with a 1931 recording of a Seminole folk song, captured on a wax cylinder. HAVASI, who is on friendly terms with the Florida-based Native American tribe, fused the song into its composition: “What is fascinating about the recording is that it feels like a gateway into the past and I am almost a hundred years after the Original I was able to do a duet with singer Billie Stewart.” The recording itself as well as the dramatic story of the Seminoles who never surrendered to the white immigrants – hence the title – inspired HAVASI to THE UNCONQUERED.
It is also this emotional depth of his songs that his fans describe after the concerts: “When he plays, he touches souls”; “this man is capable of painting whole paintings with his piano” or breathless “he’s just spectacular, he’s wonderful – he’s a genius.” But in the end, words are often insufficient when it comes to describing music – especially the sound world of HAVASI. Let’s just experience his musical vision for ourselves from April 8, 2022: Welcome to
THE WORLD OF HAVASI
„There aren’t many pianists playing in stadiums –
and none of them are classical musicians.“ Havasi