Hegyi Erzsébet – obituary

The Liszt Academy expresses condolences with the words of Katalin Komlós:

Erzsébet Hegyi, with her quiet and modest ways, played a pricelessly important role in the history of the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music. She was member of the academic staff for more than half a century; at the end of her life, she added some more years of service by teaching at the Leo Weiner Conservatory of Music until the age of 84.  As an instructor solfège and music theory, with great patience and love she taught several generations – primarily in the spirit of Zoltán Kodály and Lajos Bárdos -  to develop their music skills, to become more familiar with harmony and form analysis. As a tutor of methodology, she taught the above-listed subjects for decades and was in charge of peer observation and practical teaching work. The majority of the middle-generation teachers active in secondary and higher education today were once Erzsébet Hegyi’s students. 

I consider myself fortunate to have been her colleague at the Liszt Academy for decades and could run Kodály summer-courses on several occasions in her company in the United States. Erzsike was much loved among her students both in Hungary and abroad: she often gave masterclasses even outside Europe, in the United States and Japan, greatly contributing to the fame and excellent reputation of Hungarian music education. As sign of her diligence and dedication, she wrote numerous music education textbooks, ear trainers, methodological guides both in Hungarian and English, the Collection of Bach Examples in two volumes is the most renowned of these: the daily bread of solfege instruction.

Similarly to her husband, the outstanding music historian Dezső Legány, who passed away in 2006, Erzsébet Hegyi was one of those modest unassuming, absolutely ethical educators and musicians who established the high standards and solid foundations of Hungarian music pedagogy.

Her memory will reside in our hearts.