Erzsébet Seleljo and Anastasia Razvalyaeva met at the Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest, where their collaboration began during a doctoral recital featuring a duo for saxophone and harp, leading to the formation of Duo SeRa. Since then, both musicians have earned Doctor of Liberal Arts degrees and now serve as faculty members at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music. In 2024 both musicians received the Artisjus Performing Artist Award for performing and promoting contemporary Hungarian works.
While the core repertoire of this unique duo originates from the middle of 20th century, they are committed to a diverse range of music, including transcriptions from the Renaissance to the 20th century, as well as new commissions dedicated to them. They have premiered over thirty pieces by notable composers such as László Sáry, Miklós Maros, Márton Levente Horváth, András Gábor Virágh, Máté Balogh, Yehuda Yannay and Pretti Jalava. They also engage in interdisciplinary collaborations with composers to develop works that integrate other artistic fields, including musical theatre (Samu Gryllus, Péter Tornyai), electronic music (Bálint Bolcsó, Csanád Kedves), and film (Tibor Szemző).
Duo SeRa has performed at prestigious venues such as the Palace of Arts, the Liszt Academy, Studio 6 of Radio Bartók and other concert halls in Budapest, along with numerous recitals in other cities across Hungary, including Debrecen, Szeged, Győr, and Szombathely. They have also made notable appearances at international chamber music festivals, including the International Academic Festival in St. Petersburg, the Opus Amadeus Festival in Istanbul, the 3rd European Saxophone Congress in Trento, Arpe del Mondo in Cagliari, and several Hungarian summer festivals, such as the Jenő Takács, Ördögkatlan, and Valley of Arts festivals.
In the summer of 2025 they recorded their first album titled Encounters. Produced by the Hunnia Label, the recording offers a unique insight into contemporary Hungarian music, shaped by over a decade of close collaboration with leading Hungarian composers. Inspired by their early Encounters concert series, the recording pairs Renaissance songs with contemporary works to create rich musical dialogues between past and present. The Dowland songs serve as reflective transitions, guiding listeners through diverse contemporary soundscapes. Featuring compositions by Márton Illés, Máté Balogh, Péter Tornyai, András Gábor Virágh, and Barnabás Dukay, the album opens windows into distinct artistic worlds. More than just a recording, this album is a personal and artistic statement, a musical diary that bridges tradition and innovation, and captures the evolving voice of Hungarian contemporary music.
Listen to Encounters: https://www.highresaudio.com/en/album/view/zi7a25/duo-sera-encounters
