The International Piano Master Courses of Antonin Kubalek (Canada), Zlate
Hory, July 4th-18th, 2005
Under the auspices of Miroslava Nemcova, the vice chairperson of the Czech
Parliament Chamber of Deputies, and Milan Rac, Mayor of Zlate Hory.
The 3rd year of the International Master Piano Courses given by Antonin Kubalek
(Canada) will be held July 4 – 18, 2005. The piano courses will be combined with
English lessons. Most events connected with the courses will be held again at
the Franz Schubert Music School in Zlate Hory, where two concerts will be given
in addition to the lessons. The third concert will be dedicated to the
maintenance of St. John the Baptist Church, a national cultural monument in
Horni Udoli. It will be held at Maria Hilf, a point of pilgrimage near Zlate
Hory.
As in previous years, the aim of the courses is to enable participants to learn
from two outstanding teachers and pianists who, despite living in different
parts of the world, have always kept pieces written by Czech composers in their
repertoires.
Antonin Kubalek (*1935), professor at the Royal Conservatory of Music -
Glenn Gould Professional School, left Czechoslovakia in 1968. Toronto, Canada,
became his second home.
While recording for the Citadel, CBC, and especially DORIAN recording companies,
Kubalek became internationally renowned. For over thirty years he has been among
the top North American pianists. His abilities were recognized by Glenn Gould
and Karel Ancerl. He is known as a sensitive and poetic performer who has never
succumbed to shallow affectation and has always respected true musical values.
He has performed works by both Czech and Canadian composers, including premieres
by W. Buczynski, R. Komorous and M. Kymlicka. He has twice been nominated for
the JUNO Award.
In 2002, he performed at the Prazske Jaro International Music Festival. In the
same year, he was awarded a prestigious prize by the Czech Music Council, for
promotion of Czech music abroad.
In 2003, he gave his name to the International Master Piano Courses in Zlate
Hory. In 2004 he gave a series of concerts within the framework of the Czech
Music 2004 project, with which the Fenix Group a.s. started its 15th anniversary
celebrations.
On July 4, 2005, Kubalek’s recital will open the third year of the International
Master Piano Courses in Zlate Hory. Kubalek will also give a concert in
Rudolfinum Dvorak’s Hall in Prague on July 22, 2005. Accompanied by the Czech
Radio Orchestra, he will perform Johanes Brahms Piano Concerto in D minor. This
concert will open the second year of the Prague Music Festival (www.praguemusicfestival.cz),
with the main partner being the Fenix Group a.s. that will be celebrating 15
years on the Czech and international markets.
Zdenek Hnat (*1935), professor of Janacek Music Academy in Brno is known
as a laureate of „Prague Spring 1957“ international piano competition. At
that time he was about to turn 22 years of age, and no Czech musician had been
this successful for more than four decades. Zdenek Hnat patterns himself after
Heinrich Neuhaus (1888-1964), one of the world’s greatest recognized musicians
of the century – a professor at Moscow Conservatory. Neuhaus was Hnat’s teacher
in 1957-1960.
Most of Hnat’s major concerts were given in Prague, in the Rudolfinum Dvorak’s
Hall. He has performed there ten times, and eleven times with orchestras.
Another seven concerts were given in the Prague’s Municipal House. During the
concerts held within the Czech Philharmonics theme cycles, Hnat performed
Dvorak’s Concerto in G minor, compositions by L. W. Beethoven (Late Sonatas),
Schumann and Martinu. Within the „World Piano Works“ In Prague and Brno, he
performed works by Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin, Smetana, Brahms,
Debussy and Prokofjev
He has released ten LP records, two of which were among the most difficult works
ever written – Beethoven’s Sonata in B major, op. 106 „Hammerklavier“ (recorded
for the Supraphon recording company), and Chopin’s Sonata in B minor, op. 35 (recorded
for Panton recording company) along with two compositions by Martinu (Sinfonietta
La Jolla a Toccata e due canzoni – both recorded with the Prague Chamber
Orchestra, without conductor). He also recorded many pieces for the Czechoslovak
Radio.
As in the previous year, the International Master Piano Courses, (held at the
Franz Schubert Music School in Zlate Hory) will feature English lessons given by
Canadian born Patricia Kubalek. She is a renowned English and history
teacher from Toronto and does not speak Czech. She will teach the participants
of the piano courses, as well as all those who are interested in improving their
English conversation skills.
The Antonin Kubalek International Master Piano Courses will commence on July 4,
2005, at the Zlate Hory town hall. Among the guests, will be Veronica Vitaite,
the Lithuanian Academy professor, whose student, Birute Bizeviciute was awarded
the prize for the most advanced participant in the last two years of courses.
On July 17, 2005 at 7:30 p.m., selected participants will give a concert at the
Franz Schubert Music School.
For all three concerts a bus will be available outside the Priessnitz
Sanatorium.
July 4 and 17, 2005 at 5:50 p.m. and July 8, 2005 at 3:20. The bus will take the
following route: Jesenik – music school, Ceska Ves – town hall, Pisecna –
crossroads, Mikulovice – town hall, Zlate Hory – bus station, Maria Hilf. More
details will be available on posters and at
www.kubalekpianocourses.com.
Transportation back to Jesenik will be available after the concerts.
Donations at concerts on held July 4 and 17 are welcome. As in previous years,
the admission fee for the Maria Hilf concert is 100,- CZK. The profits will be
donated to the maintenance effort of the St. John the Baptist Church in Horni
Udoli.
The third year of the Antonin Kubalek International Master Piano Courses is
financially supported by the following bodies and companies: the Ministry of
Culture, Olomouc District Authority, municipalities of Zlate Hory, Fenix Group
a.s., Retezarna Ceska Ves a.s., Mlékárna Olesnice and Rona Zabreh.
Media partners include Hudebni Rozhledy and Sattelite (Canada).
We offer media partnership to other publishers.
www.kubalekpianocourses.com
For further details, please contact the director:
Jarmila Pohlova, Nabrezni 539/4, 790 01 Jesenik, +420 584 409 125, +420 603
971 218,
+420 723 625 511, pohlova@jes.cz,
http://www.kubalekpianocourses.com
Franz Schubert Hall – Music School in Zlate Hory – July 4, 2005 at 7:30 p.m.
Antonin Kubalek (Canada) - piano
Vitezslav Novak: Vzpominky, op. 6. (Triste - Inquieto – Amoroso)
Josef Suk: O pratelstvi, op. 36
Leos Janacek: V mlhach (Andante, Molto Adagio, Andantino, Presto)
Johannes Brahms: 16 Waltzes, op. 39
Frederyk Chopin: Ballad in A flat major, op. 47
Wofgang Amadeus Mozart: 12 variations, KV 265 - on "Ah, vous dirai-je
Maman"
Maria Hilf, a point of pilgrimage near Zlate Hory – July 8, 2005 at 5:00 p.m.
Traditional concert – the profits will be donated to the maintenance effort of
the St. John the Baptist Church in Horni Udoli.
Zdenek Hnat – piano
Baldassarre Galuppi: Sonata in F minor
Ludwig van Beethoven: 32 variations in C minor Wo0 80
Johannes Brahms: Three intermezzos, op. 117
Robert Schumann: Kreisleriana op. 16 (8 fantasy pieces)