Concerts

Orchestra Academy of Filharmonie Brno is a project that allows talented young musicians – students or fresh graduates of music schools, who are selected by audition – to gain orchestral experience in a professional ensemble. In this way, the Philharmonic develops the next generation of players who might in the future become its members.During its two-year course, the Academy offers its students not just the possibility of orchestral practice, but also an opportunity to present their abilities in chamber performance, in a concert series entitled Young Blood.

The list of performers and programmes is available about a month before the concert.

Subscription on sale from 7/6/2021 from 12 AM

Individual tickets on sale from 21/6/2021 from 12 AM

JOHANNES BRAHMS

Variations on a Theme by Haydn, Op. 56a

SAMUEL BARBER

Cello Concerto, Op. 22

MICHAL NEJTEK

The Basement Sketches, a symphony for orchestra and piano, commissioned by Filharmonie Brno, world premiere

Matt Haimovitz cello

Nikol Bóková piano

Filharmonie Brno

conductor Dennis Russell Davies

The program can be downloaded here

The cast of the orchestra can be downloaded here

A detailed view from the basement

“The work’s title, The Basement Sketches, might evoke a combination of Czech philosopher Egon Bondy’s Basement Works and Miles Davis’s Sketches of Spain, but – though I do like both – neither served as inspiration for my composition. So, then, why this title? Perhaps because I enjoy looking at the sketched material from below (from the basement), from a worm’s-eye view so to speak, in close-up that reveals all sorts of things, every detail (easily overlooked from top). The Basement Sketches is a work in five movements, with an important part for the piano, which mostly sticks to the score, only to suddenly improvise on previously heard material in the middle of the piece, remixing, as it were, the music that’s already been played. From this moment on, the motifs already used begin to return in various constellations and variants. The work returns to itself, to the beginning – and yet the ending is different. The piece is dedicated to Filharmonie Brno and to Chief Conductor Dennis Russell Davies.” Michal Nejtek

Let us add that the premiere was originally scheduled for June 2020; alas, the government restrictions connected with the coronavirus pandemic prevented it from taking place. We hope that this time the performance of Mr Nejtek’s piece works out: the score promises a powerful experience.

The American composer Samuel Barber (1910–1981) is, of course, the creator of not just the famous Adagio for Strings, which has become a classical hit, but also of many other wonderful works. Considered one of the 20th-century cardinal works for the cello, his Cello Concerto, Op. 22 will be performed by Matt Haimovitz, a “ferociously talented cellist who brings his megawatt sound and uncommon expressive gifts to a vast variety of styles” (The New York Times).

MASTERCLASS

The organization of masterclasses at the Filharmonie Brno are always led by soloists of the season. Students under the age of 26 have the opportunity to apply for active participation, both from the Czech Republic and abroad. This year, the Filharmonie Brno educational offer to students of its Orchestra Academy, run since 2014, will be expanded with a new programme of masterclasses. These new sessions will be held primarily by the soloists of the season.

MASTERCLASS MATT HAIMOWITZ

Cello

November 26, 2021, 10 am

Venue: Besední dům, Komenského náměstí 534 / 8, 602 00 Brno

The deadline for applications November 26, 2021 (application to download doc pfd)

Masterclass structure

• length: 3 hours
• number of active participants: 3 – 4
• number of passive participants: unlimited
• admission for active participants: 0 Kč
• admission for passive participants: 100 Kč

You can become an active participant by sending a completed binding application by email to akademie@filharmonie-brno.cz or by post to Orchestrální akademie Filharmonie Brno, Komenského náměstí 8, 602 00 Brno, Czech republic. The masterclass lecturer will choose the active participants. Filharmonie Brno does not provide répétiteurs for masterclass participants.

JOHANNES BRAHMS

Variations on a Theme by Haydn, Op. 56a

SAMUEL BARBER

Cello Concerto, Op. 22

MICHAL NEJTEK

The Basement Sketches, a symphony for orchestra and piano, commissioned by Filharmonie Brno, world premiere

Matt Haimovitz cello

Nikol Bóková piano

Filharmonie Brno

conductor Dennis Russell Davies

The program can be downloaded here

The cast of the orchestra can be downloaded here

A detailed view from the basement

“The work’s title, The Basement Sketches, might evoke a combination of Czech philosopher Egon Bondy’s Basement Works and Miles Davis’s Sketches of Spain, but – though I do like both – neither served as inspiration for my composition. So, then, why this title? Perhaps because I enjoy looking at the sketched material from below (from the basement), from a worm’s-eye view so to speak, in close-up that reveals all sorts of things, every detail (easily overlooked from top). The Basement Sketches is a work in five movements, with an important part for the piano, which mostly sticks to the score, only to suddenly improvise on previously heard material in the middle of the piece, remixing, as it were, the music that’s already been played. From this moment on, the motifs already used begin to return in various constellations and variants. The work returns to itself, to the beginning – and yet the ending is different. The piece is dedicated to Filharmonie Brno and to Chief Conductor Dennis Russell Davies.” Michal Nejtek

Let us add that the premiere was originally scheduled for June 2020; alas, the government restrictions connected with the coronavirus pandemic prevented it from taking place. We hope that this time the performance of Mr Nejtek’s piece works out: the score promises a powerful experience.

The American composer Samuel Barber (1910–1981) is, of course, the creator of not just the famous Adagio for Strings, which has become a classical hit, but also of many other wonderful works. Considered one of the 20th-century cardinal works for the cello, his Cello Concerto, Op. 22 will be performed by Matt Haimovitz, a “ferociously talented cellist who brings his megawatt sound and uncommon expressive gifts to a vast variety of styles” (The New York Times).

PETR EBEN, ANTONÍN TUČAPSKÝ, CTIRAD KOHOUTEK, PAVEL JURKOVIČ, OTMAR MÁCHA

ZDENĚK KRÁL

Magdalena, cycle of children’s choirs based on texts by Jiří Jelínek

Magdalenka, Kantilénka and Kantiléna

choirmasters Veronika Novosádová and Michal Jančík

The program can be downloaded here