Péter Somodari

© Stefan Panfili

Péter Somodari

Péter Somodari was born in Veszprém, Hungary, and began playing the cello at the age of four. He studied at the music academies in Budapest and Saarbrücken, receiving valuable guidance from renowned musicians such as László Mező, Miklós Perényi, Gustav Rivinius, Ferenc Rados, and György Kurtág. Among his numerous accolades is the first prize at the 2005 International Music Competition in Markneukirchen.

Throughout his career, Péter Somodari has performed as a soloist alongside celebrated musicians such as Christian Tetzlaff, Leonidas Kavakos, Lang Lang, Tabea Zimmermann, Boris Pergamenschikov, Truls Mørk, Miklós Perényi, Alexej Lubimov, György Kurtág, Franz Welser-Möst, and Tugan Sokhiev. He has worked with the Budapest Strings Chamber Orchestra, both as a section cellist and as a soloist, and was a member of the Keller Quartet and the Hungarian State Opera.

For eight years, Somodari held the position of principal cellist with the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra. Since September 1, 2012, he has served as principal cellist with the Vienna State Opera and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2018, he began teaching at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna (MDW). Starting in 2024, he will join the Altenberg Trio Vienna.