László Szitkó

László Szitkó (born on Feb. 21, 1980) recieved his first piano lesson at the age of 6. After initially studying classical piano and in the process earning some acclaim in that genre, for example placing 3rd in the 1990 Romanian National Piano Competition, at the age of 16 he instead chose to pursue jazz. From 2000-2005, under the tutelage of Károly Binder and Kálmán Oláh, he earned his Bachelors Degree in Jazz Piano from the Franz Liszt Academy in Budepest. His Masters followed in the years 2007-2009 where he studied at the Mannheim University of Music under Prof. Joerg Reiter and Rainer Böhm. 
 

In 2002 he became a part of the renowned Hungarian formation, Besenyo Blues Band, joining the nationwide famous musicians István Elek, Ferenc Muck, István Alapi, Gábor Majsai, and Charlie Horváth. In this band he played countless concerts and festivals in Hungary and Slovakia while simultaneously teaching jazz piano at the Wiener Conservatory in Budapest. 
He has continued to gather experience by attending workshops by Chick Corea, Kevin Hays, Jarmo Savolainen, Hubert Nuss, Dusko Goykovic, Ack van Rooyen, and Peter Herbolzheimer.

He was also a guest lecturer alongside Peter Herbolzheimer at the 2009 Yamaha Workshop in Oberursel.

Notable collaborations include:
Tim Ries, Gerald Albright Anniversary Band Europe, Tony Lakatos, Axel Schlosser, Andy Haderer, Joe Gallardo, Ack van Rooyen, Allen Blairman, Olaf Schönborn, Peter Reiter, Ralf Hesse, Christian Elsässer, Karolina Strassmayer, Caroll van Welden, Mario Fadani, Alberto Menendez, Bob Lanese, Silke Hauck, Juliana da Silva, János Varga, Kick's and Sticks Big Band, Bundeswehr Orchester, Saraswhatis Band (World Music), Cocinando con Clave (Salsa), Fabio Giachino, Ruben Bellavia, Davide Liberti, Senorita, The Windwalkers, Fabian Schöne Quartett, and many more.

From 2009 to 2012 he performed numerous concerts in Germany, Hungary, Romania, and Austria with his own formation, the Les Artmann Group. His song "Funk & Soul" was voted into the Top 10 of the Hungarian Jazz Song Contest by Jazzy Radio.

With his group The Windwalkers, he performed in front of 5,000 people at the 2014 Jazzopen Stuttgart, opening for Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter. That same year the band won the "Grand Prize" at the International Jazz Competition in Bucharest. Together with the Wind Walkers, he toured Italy in 2016 and Columbia in 2017. 
 

In 2015 he performed several solo concerts in Japan.

 

He will appear on the record "Cast Off" as part of the Fabian Schoene Quartett feat. Axel Schlosser, which will be released January 2018 under the Dutch label, Challengerecords, and featured in the series "Jazzthing Next Generation" by Jazzthing magazine.
 

Since 2007 he has been teaching jazz piano at the Mannheim University of Music, and as of 2015 Arrangement and Composition at the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg.