He was enormously influenced by his later masters, Isaac Stern (1994-2001), Ferenc Rados (1993-), and Zoltán Kocsis (1998-2016), and by the several recordings and movie films of his grandfather from the 1930s (legendary gypsy ‘prímás’ violinist Pali Pertis).
Due to his exceptional style sensitivity and his comprehensive technical proficiency, Barnabás Kelemen navigates with confidence through the entire catalogue of music written for violin.
Barnabás Kelemen has worked with conductors such as Lorin Maazel, Sir Neville Marriner, Vladimir Jurowski, Marek Janowski, Michael Stern, Krzysztof Urbanski, Zoltán Kocsis, Péter Eötvös, Iván Fischer...
[1][2] He is a professor at two illustrious institutions: at the Ferenc Liszt Academy in Budapest where he coaches chamber music groups at regular masterclasses and teaches violin at the University of Cologne.
On top of all Barnabás Kelemen is a passionate chamber musician who has been playing regularly together with artists like Zoltán Kocsis, Joshua Bell, Schlomo Mintz, Miklós Perényi, Ferenc Rados, Maxim Rysanov, Steven Isserlis, Alina Ibragimova, Nicolas Altstaedt, Vilde Frang, José Gallardo or Andreas Ottensamer at chamber music festivals such as: Edinburgh, Jerusalem, Prussia Cove, Salzburg, Graz, Delft, Lockenhaus, Mondsee, Mantova, Kuhmo etc.
In their first years they have won the grand prizes of three of the greatest string quartet competitions, the Premio Paolo Borciani in Reggio Emilia, the Melbourne and the Beijing competitions and has kept the attention of the international quartet life with appearances at the NY Carnegie Hall, at the Berlin Philharmony, the Salzburg Mozarteum, the Vienna Musikverein, the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, the Teatro Fenice of Venice or at their yearly returns at the London Wigmore Hall since 2011.
With his wife and four children they are currently building an arts-farm on a 13.000 quadratmeter land with three old houses in an 18 inhabited magical village in Lendvajakabfa close to Maribor/ Graz but far from world's bustle.
It will host season-through masterclasses camps concerts seminars or recordings in its barn-concert-hall-theater.. Will accommodate up to 20 students in 2 persons condos/apartments and up to 4 guest professors with their spouses in their separate apartments.