STYLE

Janáček Philharmonic

at the Prague Spring Festival

Even those who do not care much about classic music know the great reputation of “Pražské jaro”, the

Prague Spring International Music Festival. It is this general awareness of the discerning public both

in the Czech Republic and abroad that makes the Prague Spring International Music Festival a unique

phenomenon. It is indisputably the most famous and most prestigious Czech festival. Leading soloists,

conductors and orchestras from home and abroad feel that to perform at the festival is a great honour.

The Janáček Philharmonic has played at the festival

a few times and is privileged to play, conducted by

its chief conductor Mr Heiko Mathias Förster, at this

year’s, 73rd year of Prague Spring, featuring this time

around exclusive soloists: pianist Martin Kasík, soprano

Lucie Silkenová and Norbert Lichý as narrator.

The orchestra promotes Czech music in foreign countries. The Janáček Philharmonic is often invited on

international tours (recently in the USA, Korea, China,

Germany and Austria), featuring young artists as well as

famous soloists and conductors. Their repertoire ranges

from classic music to unexplored works by contemporary composers. The philharmony’s “home stage”

is the concert hall of Dům kultury města Ostravy

(Cultural Centre of Ostrava) where subscriber concert

cycles and other festive and popular events and concerts take place.

On June 2 in Smetana Hall of the Municipal House

in Prague, Chief Conductor Heiko Mathias Förster is

going to conduct compositions by Bohuslav Martinů

(Estampes H 369), Klement Slavický (Sinfonietta No.

4) and Josef Suk (Symphony in E Major). “Janáček

Philharmony has already played Josef Suk’s Symphony

in E Major with a great success not only in Ostrava but

also on international tours of Poland and Germany.

We are planning a studio record of that piece too.

I am very happy that we are going to play the composition which traditionally is a great pleasure for us

to perform at this very important

festival,” says Mr Förster.

Text & foto:

www.jfo.cz

POSITIV 1/2018

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