▁em inent ▁pup il ▁of ▁Th oman , ▁at ▁the ▁Franz ▁Lis zt ▁Academy ▁( a ▁direct ▁dis ci ple ▁of ▁Franz ▁Lis zt ). ▁At ▁a ▁very ▁early ▁age , ▁his ▁mother , ▁herself ▁an ▁accomplished ▁pian ist ▁and ▁teacher ▁had ▁discovered ▁his ▁musical ▁talent . ▁At ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁five ▁he ▁began ▁his ▁musical ▁studies ▁with ▁his ▁mother ▁and ▁a ▁year ▁later ▁he ▁entered ▁the ▁then ▁newly ▁established ▁K od ály ▁School ▁of ▁Music , ▁under ▁the ▁personal ▁super vision ▁of ▁the ▁Hung arian ▁composer - ed uc ator ▁Z olt án ▁K od ály . ▁ ▁In ▁short ▁time , ▁he ▁attract ed ▁the ▁attention ▁of ▁K od ály ▁himself , ▁who ▁developed ▁a ▁lif el ong ▁teacher - student ▁relationship ▁with ▁Jo ó , ▁which ▁last ed ▁until ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁the ▁composer . ▁During ▁his ▁studies ▁in ▁the ▁K od ály ▁school ▁he ▁was ▁introduced ▁by ▁his ▁teachers ▁to ▁visit ing ▁mus icians ▁such ▁as ▁Ig or ▁Stra vin sky , ▁Ar am ▁Kh ach atur ian , ▁Pablo ▁Cas als , ▁Carl ▁Or ff , ▁Ye h udi ▁Menu hin , ▁and ▁D mit ri ▁Sh ost akov ich . ▁He ▁studied ▁at ▁the ▁Bart ók ▁Conserv atory ▁and , ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 1 6 , ▁he ▁was ▁admitted ▁to ▁the ▁University ▁level ▁of ▁the ▁Franz ▁Lis zt ▁Academy ▁of ▁Music ▁where ▁he ▁studied ▁piano ▁with ▁Joseph ▁G at ▁and ▁P ál ▁K ados a . ▁ ▁By ▁this ▁time ▁Jo ó ▁had ▁won ▁his