ARON SEBESTYEN
Composer for theatre, film & musical storytelling
MUSICAL WORKS
theatre projects, musicals, collaborations
NEWS
LEONARDO - THE MUSICAL
Leonardo – The Renaissance Genius is a visually striking original musical inspired by the life of Leonardo da Vinci, blending historical authenticity with a compelling fictional narrative. Set in the vibrant yet volatile world of Renaissance Florence, the story explores the tension between knowledge, faith, and power through the eyes of a young visionary.
At its core lies a dramatic and emotional journey, where art, mystery, and forbidden truths intertwine, driven by a powerful central relationship and a fast-paced, cinematic structure.
With its universal themes and strong visual identity, Leonardo presents a distinctive and adaptable property with significant potential for global stage productions.
MAGICIAN - THE MUSICAL
The story follows Erik McAlister, a young Irish illusionist’s rise from poverty, as he tries to fulfil his childhood dream of becoming a circus performer in 20th century America. Along the way he encounters love, danger and a magical family legacy - all framed by the legacy of Nikola Tesla and the memory of Harry Houdini.
The story of the musical is about a pair of Irish brothers, so Irish culture informs the language and events of the play in many places. One of the main settings is an Irish pub in New York City, where the local Irish community unites against the Italian mafia. Camaraderie, honour and courage hold the community together and help Erik the Magician succeed.
SONGWRITERS' DAY 2023
To celebrate Artisjus Songwriters' Day 2023, we were curious about the capabilities of AI programmes. As producer and brainstormer, I compared the songwriting skills of a pair of live human composers and AI in a special programme. In a vote, the audience had to guess which song used AI. The result was surprising, and it raises new questions about the modernisation of the music market. I think it's very important to have these kinds of issues, because it's a way to find answers to the next challenges of the music industry.
LORD OF THE WILD MUSICAL 2021
In October 2021, we presented Lord of the Wild, a family musical produced with the creative team of Tesla Musical. With the creative team, we created a captivating story about a true hero's journey, a sincere love and the diversity of animals. I wrote 15 great songs and 17 musical covers for the musical. Musically, it's in the pop-Disney style, with catchy tunes and film soundtrack interludes. The musical's format is suitable for international presentation, and its style and structure could be suitable for presentation outside Hungary.
TESLA MUSICAL 2020/2025
We presented a full evening musical production about the life of Nikola Tesla. The show features 16 pop songs and 38 additional musical interludes with symphonic orchestrations, all recorded with a full symphonic orchestra. The production is conceived as a multimedia experience, where large-scale LED visuals enhance the musical and theatrical storytelling, creating a rich and immersive stage world.
The production was performed in Hungary and later presented in South Korea in Hungarian with Korean subtitles, where it received the Grand Prize at the 19th Daegu International Musical Festival in 2025. An English-language version of the musical has also been completed, reflecting strong international interest, and the show has since toured in Serbia, further expanding its international reach.
BIO
Áron Sebestyén is an Artisjus and Fonogram Award-winning Hungarian media and theatre composer, songwriter, symphonic arranger and pianist. After earning his degree in jazz piano from Kodolányi János University, he became a sought-after arranger and music director, contributing to major stage productions across Hungary.
He has collaborated with artists such as Desmond Child, Irma Pany, and Amr Mostafa. His Eurovision entry Wars for Nothing (with Boglárka Csemer) represented Hungary internationally, while their song Parfüm reached No. 3 on the Billboard World Music Chart.
Sebestyén co-founded the Pannonia Film Orchestra, producing symphonic recordings for international films and work with films from Netflix, HBO, Sky, Universal Music, and Disney.
He composed official music for global events like the 2017 FINA World Championships and developed the full audio branding for AMC's JIM JAM channel.
His musical theatre works include Nikola Tesla (2020), Lord of the Wild (2021), and The Magician (2024), which has already attracted international attention. In 2025, Tesla won the grand prize of the DIMF (Daegu International Musical Festival), one of Asia’s leading musical theatre events.
Beyond the stage, he created and conceptualized an interactive music motif composition tool for Hungary’s Museum of Ethnography, blending tradition with digital creativity. He is currently working on a new musical about the young Leonardo da Vinci (LEONARDO MUSICAL).
DIMF FESTIVAL
GRAND PRIZE 2025
THE COMPOSER
OF THE YEAR
FONOGRAM
THE ALBUM OF THE YEAR
