Composer, conductor, teacher, the Hungarian Peter Eötvös combined all three functions in one very high-profile career. He had long been considered one of the most significant and influential personalities on the music scene as both an internationally recognised conductor and a composer of successful operas, orchestral works and concertos, written for well-known artists from all over the world. Eötvös attached great importance to passing on his extensive knowledge and experiences to others. He taught at the music college in Cologne and Karlsruhe and gave regular masterclasses and seminars throughout Europe. He established his International Eötvös Institute in 1991 and the Eötvös Contemporary Music Foundation in 2004 in Budapest for young composers and conductors. In addition to the rôles listed above, Peter Eötvös regularly appeared as a guest conductor with some of the most important orchestras and opera houses.