Slavomír Hořínka: Pocket Guide to Bird Fly (world premiere)
1 May 2018, Martinů Hall, Lichtenstein Palace, Prague Exotic Noise Slavomír Hořínka: Pocket Guide to Bird Fly (world premiere) BERG Orchestra, conductor: Peter Vrábel
Czech Republic
Lukáš Sommer: Gala Violin (world premiere)
25 April 2018, Smetana Hall, Municipal House, Prague Violin Gala. Special concert for the 60th anniversary of Kocian Violin Competition Lukáš Sommer: Gala Violin (world premiere) Pavel Šporcl, Stefan Milenković, Josef Špaček, Bohuslav Matoušek, Pavel Hůla, Pavel Eret, Leoš Čepický, Petr Matěják – violin, Prague Symphony Orchestra FOK, cond. Jessica Cottis
South Czech Philharmonic: premieres of pieces by Roman Pallas and Petr Hanzlík
25 and 26 April, St Anna’s church, České Budějovice Roman Pallas: Spring Hymn (world premiere) Petr Hanzlík: Anima mea (world premiere) Karolína Berková – mezzosoprano (2), South Czech Philharmonic, cond. Jan Talich
Miroslav Pudlák: Intonarumori Concerto for Howler, Sraper, Crackler and Orchestra (world premiere)
An attractive musical programme was presented on 9 April in Studio Hrdinů (Trade Fair Palace, Prague) by the BERG orchestra. The concert named Archeology of the 20th century introduced John Cage’s renowned Radio Music, a Czech premiere of Graffiti, a piece by an internationally acclaimed Korean composer Unsuk Chin, Archeologia del telefono. Concertante for 13 instruments by … Read more
Ivan Acher: Sternenhoch (world premiere)
On 7 April, the New Scene of the National Theatre in Prague presented the long-awaited premiere of the opera adaptation of Ivan Klíma’s mystery novel The Sufferings of Prince Sternenhoch. Its author, primarily a scenic music composer and musical autodidact Ivan Acher (*1976) had already written music for the book’s theatre adaptation at Divadlo Komedie eleven … Read more
Lukáš Sommer: Concerto for Oboe and Orchestra
On 28 and 29 March in St Anna’s Church, České Budějovice, the South Czech Philharmonic presented the world premiere of Concerto for Oboe and Orchestra by the Budějovice-born composer and guitarist Lukáš Sommer (*1984). The solo part was performed by a leading Czech oboist Vilém Veverka. The four-movement concerto was a perfect choice for the Easter time – … Read more
Pavel Zemek-Novák: The Touches of Mercy (premiere)
“… Impressions and Touches in the Soul…”, this year’s first concert by the Konvergence composers’ association, took place on 5 March in the Church of St Lawrence in Lesser town, Prague. It presented, among others, the premiere of Doteky milosrdenství (The Touches of Mercy), a new piece by a well-known Brno-based composer Pavel Zemek-Novák. The programme also included La Mandragore (Tristan … Read more
Daniel Skála: Vrstvení (world premiere)
The South Czech Philharmonic presented Vrstvení (Layering), a new piece by composer and top-class cymbalist Daniel Skála (*1981). It was performed on 21 and 22 February in the church of Saint Anna, České Budějovice, under the direction of Marek Prášil. “The title of the piece refers to the main principle of composition I used here,” Skála said. “Instead of melodies and … Read more
Marko Ivanović: Little Words (world premiere)
As a part of their 49th season, the Czech Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra Pardubice introduced Little Words, a new song cycle by composer and the orchestra’s former music director Marko Ivanović (*1976). The piece attracted the attention of the Prague Spring festival, too; that is why the audience in the Suk Hall of Pardubice’s Dům hudby on 19 February … Read more
Ondřej Štochl: YIN – Nostalgia and Hope (premiere of an orchestral version)
On 4 January, PKF – Prague Philharmonia gave world premiere to an orchestral version of YIN – Nostalgia and Hope by composer Ondřej Štochl (*1975). Its chamber version for vibraphone and 12 instruments had been premiered 2 years ago in Brno; just like then, the solo part was now played again by the excellent Martin Opršál. The orchestral transcription maintained … Read more