Czechlist

Czech musicians and music organizations recommended by MusicEnterprise

The following list contains the names of Czech (mostly!) solo musicians and ensembles with whom MusicEnterprise maintains friendly relations and whom it can recommend.

In most cases, the website of the artists can be visited by clicking on the underlined word(s).

MusicEnterprise is always happy to give advice on fees or provide any background information which could lead to a booking for a concert, whether MusicEnterprise is involved in the concert or not. There is no charge whatsoever for any service rendered.

Violin

• Václav Dvořák is to be highly recommended as soloist or pedagogue.
  
• Martin Kos was also a recent leader of the Czech Nonet; he is currently leader of the SUK Chamber Orchestra and does much solo work.
  
• Ivana Tomášková, currently a lecturer at Melba Conservatory in Melbourne, Australia, has won many international prizes and has wide experience of solo work and chamber music playing.
  
• Jana Vonášková-Nováková, the soloist and violinist of the Smetana Trio, also forms a duet with her husband, bassoonist Václav Vonášek and with her brother, pianist Petr Novak.
  

Viola

• Jitka Hosprová is known for her beauty, but make no mistake, this is no substitute for outstanding viola playing!
  

Cello

• Martin Škampa (one of the celebrated Škampa family), has given over 1000 recitals, both as soloist and in cello/piano duos, in 18 European countries.
  
• Jan Paleníček, soloist and cellist of the Smetana Trio and the son of the celebrated pianist. He is also a notable teacher and has a large discography.
  

Organ

• Jaroslav Tůma, is an organist of enormous experience who has given concerts all over Europe, in the USA, Japan and Singapore, and won international prizes for improvisation.
  
• Kateřina Chroboková (also an expert on the harpsichord) has started a most promising international career, as has Markéta Reindlová.
  

Pianists

• Petr Jiříkovský's name crops up constantly as soloist, chamber musician (see also under Trios) and accompanist.
  
• Jiří Pazour is a professor of improvisation on the piano at the Prague Conservatoire and can improvise on anything in any style, from Bach to pop.
  
• Jitka Čechová, well known as both soloist and chamber musician, has made a large number of CDs and will shortly complete recording of the entire works of Smetana for piano. She is also the pianist of the Smetana Trio.
  
• Štěpán Kos is a key member of the Mladota Ensemble but also a soloist and chamber music player of great versatitily.
  
• Tomáš Spurný is a chamber musician and accompanist for international singers; his programmes concentrate on 19th-century composers from the German-Bohemian area. He also revives works and collates many of the manuscripts.
  
• Miroslav Sekera became famous as a Wunderkind at the age of 6 as he played the violin and piano blindfold in the film "Amadeus" by Forman. Today he is an accomplished pianist, both as a soloist and chamber music player.
  
• Ivo Kahánek is probably the best-known pianist of the young generation. He is a winner of the Prague Spring competition and has already recorded 6 CDs for Supraphon.
  

Oboe

• Jana Brožková is member of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra and of In modo camerale; she also does much solo work.
  

Clarinet

• Ludmila Peterková is one of the outstanding wind players of her generation.

Harp

• Kateřina Englichová is much sought after as soloist, chamber musician and teacher. She brings a wealth of fine musicianship and experience to each every concert.
  

Duos

• The Duo Bialas-Bialasová are a father-and-daughter team, offering piano 4-hands or piano duet, with a very large repertoire of modern works as well as standard works.
  
• The Duo Vlachová-Ericsson is also somewhat unusual, representing a husband-and-wife team of violinist and cellist; both are probably better known as members of the Vlach Quartet. This duo has an impressive number of works specially written for it.
  
• The Czech/Brazilian duo of Jaroslav Šonský (violin) and Patrícia Bretas (piano) was founded in 2001; it has since given a large number of concerts on the S.American and European continents.
  
• Solo pianist Igor Ardašev forms an international-class piano duo with his wife Renata
  
• Duo Veverka/Englichová: The combination of oboe and harp is unusual; both players are virtuosi soloists but their ensemble playing is also excellent.
  

Trios

• The Martinů Piano Trio (ex Academia), with pianist Petr Jiříkovský, is an up-and-coming trio of conventional composition but sparkling performance!
  
• The Smetana Piano Trio can now be considered a world-class ensemble.
  
• The Trio BOHEMIA LUXEMBOURG, recently founded, is the first permanent chamber ensemble combining Luxembourg and Czech musicians: Luxembourg flautist Carlo Jans, harpist Katerina Englichova (on this page) and Jitka Hosprova, viola.
  
• The second permanent Czech/Luxembourgish ensemble, the piano trio ALEA, is composed of more youthful players. Luxembourg pianist Pascal Meyer has his own website which includes several recordings of the trio.
  

Quartets

• Apollon Quartet can switch with ease from classical music to jazz in the same concert.
  
• Kapralova Quartet is probably one of the best all-female quartets in the world.
  
• Zemlinsky Quartet is steadily building itself an international reputation.
  
• The Czech Philharmonic Quartet consists of Pavel Eret (violin virtuoso) and three members of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra but, though supported to a limited extent by the Czech Philharmony, it works quite independently of the orchestra.
  
• Active for over 30 years, the Pražák Quartet is one of the leading international quartets.
  
• Wind instruments are superbly represented by In modo camerale - oboe, clarinet, bassoon and piano.
  
• The Prague Guitar Quartet is one of the few guitar quartets which can rival the leading ensembles from the famous "guitar countries."
  
• The all-female Eve Quartet was founded in 2001. Apart from classical repertoire, it specialises in swing; it is very active with about 50 concerts a year.
  
• The Prague Bassoon Band, established by Václav Vonášek in 2005 and made up of himself plus three other high-class players, offers a very varied programme with fascinating sonorities.
  

Orchestras

• The Czech Chamber Orchestra has its origins in the celebrated Talich Orchestra and draws many of its players from the Czech Philharmonic.
  
• The Prague Chamber Orchestra (PKO) is usually so called but this omits an important part of the title: "Without conductor". Top-class chamber orchestra which plays with or without winds but usually with a conductor-leader.
  
• The chamber orchestra Camerata Moravia from Olomouc rivals the best Prague orchestras.
  
• The youthful Quattro chamber orchestra, founded and conducted by Marek Štilec, has established itself on the Czech musical scene with remarkable speed and already has 3 CDs to its credit.
  

Other chamber ensembles

• The members of the wind octet Czech Wind Harmony (2 each of oboes, clarinets, bassoons and horns) are all soloists in their own right.
  

Amateur orchestras

• The Prague amateur orchestra KOA (Chamber orchestra Akademie) is of good standard and very active.
  

• Hana Jonášová, soprano, has great experience in operatic and oratorio singing as does Karolína Berková (mezzo).
  
• Eva Garajová, a full-blooded mezzo from Bratislava, has sung opera and a wide variety of other vocal music with many of the best(Mackerras, Carreras).
  
• Another highly recommended mezzo is Karla Bytnarová.
  

• You will find excellent value for money at ArcoDiva.
  
• Instrumental and voice sheet music of all kinds, Czech and foreign publishers: Talacko Music, Rybná 29, Prague 1
  

Germany
• M-Impresariat
  

Czech Republic
• ArcoDiva.
  
• TRIART Management
  
• Jahoda Arts Management
  
• Jan Nykrýn