I am Renáta Lackó, concert violinist, violin teacher and musicologist. I received my initial training at the Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest and also have a Magister degree in art history (Universität Osnabrück), Upon completion of my studies in Hungary, I moved to Switzerland and subsequently to Germany where I lived for several years. For the last ten years I have resided in Italy where I am currently teaching violin,
Regarding my teaching style, I emphasize the joy of creation on the part of the student via generating instrumental sound effects. In addition to teaching, I perform with several groups and orchestras on the regular basis. In addition to classical music, I am interested in Hungarian folk music and klezmer to keep in touch with my roots.
Because of my involvement in musical education and performances, I have traveled extensively from an early age. Consequently, I have always felt comfortable in an international setting and in the company of people from all over the World. I am currently fluent in four languages. I was a member of the Jeunesse Musicales World Orchestra where the participants originated from 40 different countries. This experience taught us the profound truth that music has no boundaries. Despite the fact that in this setting, we conversed in several languages, we understood each other well and were able to create music together. The uniqueness of this environment was enriched by the variety of national and ethnic backgrounds that the participants brought with them. From the mosaic of all these pieces a wonderful and completely unique interactive collage emerged.
I have always been fascinated by the palpable unity in the World. How is it possible that there is a relationship between the structure of the oxygen atom and the major scales, between the buildup of a musical composition and the architecture of a cathedral and between a snail shell and a Bach composition? My view is that we can enhance our perception if we examine our World, our environment and its components in their individual contexts. For example, rhythm in music as well as well in our environment is a key determinant of maintenance and function. One does not have to be a musician to sense that a performer loses the rhythm of a musical piece during a performance, if one of our organs does not function in rhythm with the rest of our body, we will soon sense an imbalance and stress and may even experience illness.
In today’s World the pulse of the big city life will likely isolate us from sensing the healthy rhythm of life unless we are in touch with our natural environment. I grew up in a big city (Budapest) and it took me a while before I found the connection to Nature and the sense of synchrony with it. I sense that I am not unique in this regard.
We all have an unlimited number of opportunities to achieve our goals and to continually make progress in our lives. Unfortunately, fear of our own limitations tends to limit our potential. In order to remedy this, one has to get in touch with one’s „inner self”; a task which is best addressed in the context of a community effort. The PDF facilitates our understanding of our own capabilities, regarding the changes we may make in our own lives and in our environment. It helps to reveal our potential for enhancing our impact on others and thus become better integrated with our environment; this provides strong and meaningful guidance for all to lead a full life.
The PDF also shows the way for finding the right paths in our everyday lives to pursue a satisfying, purposeful and responsible existence. It teaches all generations that taking care of our environment is not an extra responsibility but a fundamental task in our lives. The information provided by PDF in schools allows the young generation to become acquainted with these important principles early in their lives. I have found its philosophy, regarding the application of principles based on local opportunities to achieve a global purpose, most attractive. As a result, the differences are perceived as advantages and facilitate the creation of significant value based on the contribution of each individual’s talents.
I was thrilled to have the opportunity to learn about the activities of PDF and its outreach via its Foundation to achieve its goals. I am honoured to be able to participate in the fascinating an valuable effort promoted by the Foundation.
