István Ruppert is an organ professor in Budapest, Hungary, at the Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music, the alma mater of such famous musicians as Bela Bartok, Zoltan Kodaly, and Eugene Ormandy.
Born in 1954, he is a unique person in Hungarian musical life. In addition to his training in music, he has a degree in mechanical engineering, and he played soccer professionally.
Immediately after receiving his degree in organ performance in 1987, he was offered the position of organ teacher at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music.
Since January 2006 he has been working as a director of the Department of Music of the Szechenyi University in Gyor too. His musical interests range over the entire organ repertoire, from the earliest keyboard works through Frescobaldi to Messiaen and contemporary Hungarian composers. These he has performed in many churches and centers of music in Hungary, throughout Europe, Japan, Brasil and USA. In 1997, 1999, 2001, and 2004, he gave recitals in churches in New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Illinois, Minnesota, Texas, and Iowa. In New York City he played at St. Paul's Chapel at Columbia University, and in Philadelphia, he performed on the famous Wanamaker Organ, the largest organ in the world. In addition to the recitals, he gave masterclasses and lectured about Liszt's organ music in Europe; at Sibelius Academy in Helsinki; Sapporo University in Japan; and in the USA at Duquene University in Pittsburgh, Northern Iowa University, Northwestern University in Chicago, St. Thomas University in St. Paul, Connecticut State University, and the AGO Chapter in New Jersey. In July 2002, he was invited to lecture at the National Convention of the American Guild of Organists, in Philadelphia. A great advocate of contemporary Hungarian music, he was awarded the "ARTISJUS" honor in 2003. The SouthWest Jersey Chapter of the American Guild of Organists bestowed on him their "Performer of the Year" Award in November 2004.
He took his doctor's degree in November 2004. Now he is a lecturer of the doctor school of the Liszt Academy of Music.