Streamed from 15 October
28th September – 14th November
Janáček: Jenůfa
VENUE: Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London
https://www.roh.org.uk

Czech music from Smetana to Martinů
10 Thursdays starting 14 October
2.30-4.30pm on Zoom 
After four in-depth terms on Russian music, David Nice turns his attention to Czechia and traces the growth of a national identity in music from the father of a tradition, BedřichSmetana, to the cosmopolitan Bohuslav
Martinů, who carried his love for his native land into exile and expressed it in his greatest masterpieces, prolific right up to his death in 1959. We also spend substantial time with thefirst great Czech symphonist,
Dvořák, and follow Janáček’s reflection of the Czech language in the speech-melodies of his pioneering operas. Predecessors, marginally lesser masters like Josef Suk, and an outstandingwoman composer who died far too young, Martinů’s beloved Vítězslava Kaprálová, will also make appearances.
The course runs in tandem with Monday afternoon opera classes focusing on Janáček’s Jenůfa – running concurrently in a new Royal Opera production – and Martinů’s dream-opera Julietta (email David at the address below for further details). A wide range of works will beillustrated with excerpts on CD, DVD and YouTube.
‘I cannot recommend these classes highly enough. The classes, all guided by the expert hand of David Nice, comprise discussion, listening to recordings and watching scenes on DVD as well as interviews with internationally renowned singers, conductors and directors who have a particular association with the works being studied.’ – Susan Bullock MBE, Soprano and Regular Class Visitor
Fee: £100 for the whole term of ten two-hour classes on Zoom Email: david.nice@usa.net ASAP to confirm a place.

Wednesday 27 October | 18.30 (GMT)
The British Czech and Slovak Association is presenting a lecture on Czech protest music in the past and now, given by British-born Daniel Majer, who currently reads Czech and Spanish at Bristol University, and is about to turn twenty. He is going to talk to us from Brno, where he is now studying, as a part of his course, on an Erasmus grant. This talk will also include relevant musical clips. Further details are on the BCSA website www.bcsa.co.uk.If you wish to participate, please register at bcsa@bcsa.co.uk   by 25 October 2021.

Archive

Various dates and times in June 2021
The 3rd WALTHAM FOREST CELLO FEST 2021 in London
Cellists Anna Brikciusová, František Brikcius, Yiqi Chen, Mira Kardan, Stijn Kuppens, Anna Shuttleworth (1927-2021) and George Wolfe-McGuire. Together with conductor Peter Askim, percussionist Brecht Claesen, violinist and philosopher Hugh Desmond, organist and composer Irena Kosíková, conductor Jan Talich, Talich Chamber Orchestra, soprano Nofar Yacobi and narrator Jan Židlický.
You are invited to the 3rd WALTHAM FOREST CELLO FEST 2021 in London. As in previous years there will be WFCF Cello Concerts, Underground Lunchtime Recitals (in the historic Victoria Line carriage), Cello Weekend, Make Music Day and Cello Academy (all ages and abilities are welcome!). Events will be held mainly online in June 2021.
Book your tickets now via Eventbrite here: https://WalthamForestCelloFest.eventbrite.com .
The WFCF 2021 features cellists and young promising cello talents from Belgium, China, the Czech Republic, France, Israel, Italy, the UK and the USA.
Including cellists Anna Brikciusová, František Brikcius, Yiqi Chen, Mira Kardan, Stijn Kuppens, Anna Shuttleworth (1927-2021) and George Wolfe-McGuire. Together with conductor Peter Askim, percussionist Brecht Claesen, violinist and philosopher Hugh Desmond, organist and composer Irena Kosíková, conductor Jan Talich, Talich Chamber Orchestra, soprano Nofar Yacobi and narrator Jan Židlický.
WCFC begins with a CELLO WEEKEND (Saturday 5th – Sunday 6th June): INDIVIDUAL MASTER CLASSES, two CELLO WEBINARS, CELLO RECITAL – INNER CELLO, interactive online INTERPRETATION MASTERCLASS, three CELLO LAUREATES, introduction to THE CELLO MUSEUM – INNOVATIONS IN CELLO-MAKING MATERIALS, REMEMBERING ANNA SHUTTLEWORTH and music documentary film MAKANNA.
Other events will include virtual poetry reading SAVE THE QUEEN (Saturday 12th June), CELLO RECITALS (Sunday 13th and Sunday 20th June), MUSICAL SOLIDARITY PROJECT (Saturday 19th June), MAKE MUSIC DAY (Monday 21st June) and ORGAN RECITAL (Saturday 26th June).
WFCF is following in the tradition of previous UNDERGROUND LUNCHTIME RECITALS (Sunday 27th June) in the Walthamstow Pumphouse Museum’s historic Victoria Line Carriage.
For the second time Waltham Forest Cello Fest will hold a CELLO ACADEMY (26th July – 1st August) of online summer cello master classes.
Most online events are followed by a Q&A. Please put your questions in the comments or an email.
WALTHAM FOREST CELLO FEST was created in 2019 as a cello celebration of the communities in Waltham Forest the first ever Mayor’s London Borough of Culture. The WFCF is supported by Make It Happen – London Borough of Waltham Forest.
For the latest news follow WFCF on Twitter (@WFCelloFest), Facebook and Instagram (@WalthamForestCelloFest) and visit https://www.Brikcius.com/WalthamForestCelloFest 

Wednesday 14th April 2021 | 8.15pm
Gabriela Beňačková and Jakub Hrůša Receive the Antonín Dvořák Prize
Broadcast live on Wednesday, 14 April at 8:15 p.m. on the channel ČT Art.

Monday, January 18 2021 | 3 pm
Would Dvořák Have Wanted the Music of African American Composers Programmed Instead of the “New World” Symphony?
A conversation and book launch in honor of
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Dvořák was a famous champion of the idea of an American music based on African American sound. Further, he was a great supporter of his African American students, including Harry Burleigh and Will Marion Cook. But as the “New World” is performed over and over again, the music of African American composers like Florence Price and William Grant Still is still ignored. It was suggested that the best way to celebrate Beethoven’s 250th anniversary would be by not performing his music for an entire year. In that spirit should we propose that in 2023, the “New World’s” 130th anniversary, we honor the composer’s progressive vision by replacing all performances of his symphony by the music of African American composers?
A panel discussion with Marcus Pyle, NYU/Davidson University; Douglas Shadle, Vanderbilt University, and Michael Beckerman, New York University
This event is also a “book launch” for Prof. Shadle’s forthcoming Antonín Dvořák’s New World Symphony (Oxford University Press, 2021).
Find out more about this event HERE!
STREAM HERE

Sunday, February 28 2021 | 3 pm 
Moravian Heartache & Microtones: Music by Hába and Bettendorf
Savor an unusual pairing of music by Czech modernist Alois Hába and contemporary composer Carl Bettendorf, who offers insightful commentary.
Further information

Sunday, November 15th | 3.00pm (EST)
Martinů Quartet from Prague
Dvořák: “American” String Quartet 
Further informstion
Live Stream

19th – 30th November 2020 ONLINE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKyB5C5kwJU
Streaming of concert recording PRAGUE – BRNO 
6 CONTEMPORARY COMPOSITIONS FOR SOLO CELLO with visual accompaniment from the Observatory took place on Thursday 19th November 2020 at 8 p.m. Czech cellist František Brikcius presented cello works by leading composers from Prague and Brno (Luboš Fišer, Petr Hejný, Jan Jirásek, Irena Kosíková, Jiří Matys and Miloš Štědroň).
For more details visit https://www.Brikcius.com/Festival
Live Sream

Thursday 26th November 2020 at 8 p.m. (CET)
Final presentation of international project MUSICAL SOLIDARITY / COVID-19 under the auspices of the Istituto Italiano di Cultura Praga. https://www.Youtube.com/FrantisekBrikcius.
The 10th FESTIVAL BRIKCIUS will be held again in 2021. 
For more details visit https://www.Brikcius.com/Festival

Sunday, December 6 | 3pm
Czech Holiday Party 
The highlight is a 21 minute film on Georgius Zrunek’s Harmonium Pastoralis of 1766, introduced by Professor Michael Beckerman of NYU, with program notes prepared by a student of his
Further information 
Stream