The 2008 Eurovision Song Contest victory for Dima Bilan featured the compositions and violin performance of Edvin Marton on the winning track, Believe. Born Lajos Edvin Csűry in 1974 in Vilok, Ukraine, he transitioned from a child prodigy within the Soviet musical system to a prominent crossover musician associated with elite international figure skaters.
Early Musical Training
Born into a musical family in an area primarily inhabited by ethnic Hungarians, Marton began violin instruction from his parents at age four. By age eight, he relocated to Moscow to attend the Central Tchaikovsky Music School, studying under Leo Lundstrem. He continued his pedagogical development under Eugenia Tchougaeva and gave his initial major concert performance with the Moscow Symphony Orchestra at age twelve.
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At seventeen, Marton enrolled at the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music in Budapest under Géza Kapás. His education spanned several prestigious institutions including the Juilliard School of Music in New York, where he studied under Dorothy DeLay after receiving an invitation to the 1994 Aspen Music Festival. He concluded his formal studies with a graduation from the Music Academy in Vienna in 1995.
Transition to Crossover Performance
While at Juilliard, Marton shifted his professional focus from classical performance to the crossover genre, incorporating electronic elements and collaborations with DJs. This stylistic evolution accompanied his global touring, which included performances at the Berliner Philharmonie and Vienna's Konzerthaus. He became a recognized figure within the figure skating community, providing musical accompaniment for athletes including Yuzuru Hanyu, Stéphane Lambiel, and Evgeni Plushenko.
Olympic and Eurovision Contributions
Marton contributed to the musical atmosphere of the 2006 Torino Olympic Winter Games, performing alongside gold medalists Evgeni Plushenko, Tatiana Totmianina, and Maxim Marinin. In 2008, his collaborative work with Dima Bilan and Evgeni Plushenko culminated in a win at the Eurovision Song Contest. In 2010, he continued his association with ice skating culture by performing at the Fantasy on Ice tour in Fukui, Japan.
Fast facts
- Born: 1974, Vilok
- Citizenship: Hungary
- Primary Instrument: Violin
- Alma Mater: Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music
- Notable Win: Eurovision Song Contest 2008
- Collaborators: Evgeni Plushenko, Dima Bilan
- Debut Album: Sarasate (1996)
- Final Studio Album: Hollywood (2010)
Questions readers ask
What is Edvin Marton's musical style?
Marton is categorized as a crossover composer and violinist who blends classical technique with contemporary electronic and popular music influences.
What is his connection to figure skating?
He is known as the violinist for many prominent skaters, providing live and recorded musical accompaniment for athletes like Evgeni Plushenko and Yuzuru Hanyu.
Achievements
- Instruments: violin
