Attila Pacsay


Attila Pacsay is a Hungarian composer who is particularly known for his music written for films, television, and the theatre. His compositions encompass a wide variety of music from chamber music and symphonic works to jazz pieces and contemporary music.
He began his musical studies in piano, trumpet, and trombone at age 7. A few years later, he started preparing for a career as composer. His compositions were performed by his own band. At age 14, he was accepted in the composition class of László Draskóczy and Attila Reményi at the János Richter Conservatory in the city of Győr. He received his college degree in composition at the Budapest Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music, where he studied in the class of Emil Petrovics.
After graduation, Mr. Pacsay began working as freelancer. Initially, he composed music for television and radio programs, and, in 1997, he met his childhood musician friend the director , who was searching for a composer for his animated films. Their collaboration resulted in hundreds of short animated television ID-s and several animated short films.
During these years, besides film scores, Mr. Pacsay composed music for theater and prepared symphonic music arrangements.
Pacsay has collaborated on films with such notable directors as Ferenc Rofusz, Ferenc Cako, and . For his work on the film he won the award for Best Sound Design at the in 2008, the prize for Best Film Score at the Kecskemet Animation Film Festival in 2009, the award for Best Film Music at the in 2010 and Best Sound Design Award at the , Albania. For the music and sound design of Geza M. Toth's short feature film he won at the 23rd in 2009, and he was awarded a KAFF prize for Best Music in 2011 for his work on 's Szofita Land. He also notably wrote the music for the computer animated short film Maestro which was nominated for Best Animated Short Film during the 79th Academy Awards in 2007.
Besides his work as film composer, Mr. Pacsay is constantly present at other areas of the music scene. For example, his classical orchestrations are on the repertoire of, among others, the Mendelssohn Chamber Orchestra of the city of Veszprém. In the lighter genres, Mr. Pacsay is known as the permanent orchestrator for .
Since 2001 he has served on the faculty of the Media Institute at Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design in Budapest.

Film and television scores

2020:
2019:
2018:
2017:
2016:
2015:
2014:
2014: Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks
2013: Heaven's Vanguard
2013: "Kispárizs" ]
2012: The Lady with Long Hair
2011: ""
2011: ""
2011: "It Happened in TLV"
2010: Szofita Land
2009: "Orsolya"
2009: "Freeze"
2009: Mama
2009: Detti and Drot
2009: Touch
2008: Ergo
2007: Face
2006: Ready, Steady, Money!
2006: Deja Vu
2005: Maestro
2004: Dog's Life
2003: Crash
2001: Piroska's World, Part 5-6
2000: Urasima Taro
1999: Piroska's World, Part 1-4
1998: From To

Awards and nominations

- Hungarian Film Week - Best Original Music for , winner, 2020
- Hungarian Film Week - Best Original Music for , Television Film Category, winner, 2019
- Hungarian Film Week - Best Original Music for , nominated, 2018
- International Music+Sound Awards - Best Original Composition for , nominated, 2018
- Hollywood Music in Media Awards - Best Original Music for , Independent Foreign Language Film Category, winner, 2017
- Hollywood Music in Media Awards - Best Original Music for , Independent Film Category, nominated, 2016
- International Sound & Film Music Festival - Crystal Pine Best Original Score for , winner, 2016
- International Sound & Film Music Festival - Crystal Pine Best Original Score for , nominated, 2016
- Parma International Music Film Festival - Violetta d'Oro Best Original Score for , winner, 2016
- International Music+Sound Awards - Best Original Composition for , nominated, 2016
- International Music+Sound Awards - Best Original Composition for , nominated, 2016
- International Jerry Goldsmith Awards - Best Original Music for Patrick & Theo, Animated Short Film Category, nominated, 2012
- Kecskemet Animation Festival - Best Music Award for , winner, 2011
- International Jerry Goldsmith Awards - Best Original Music for , nominated, 2011
- Asolo Art Film Festival - Best Film Music for , winner, 2010
- Anifest Rozafa - Best Sound Design for , winner, 2010
- Kecskemet Animation Festival - Best Music Award for , winner, 2009
- Braunschweig International Film Festival - 'The Leo' Best Music Award for , winner, 2009