Music boom

“I’m very glad that Krzysztof Penderecki is coming to Košice in the year in which he will be celebrating his 80th birthday. He’s one of the brightest stars in contemporary music. At a time when his work calendar is literally packed with concerts all around the world, it’s literally a miracle that he’ll honour the Košice audience with his visit,” said the Director of the non-profit making organisation Košice 2013 – European Capital of Culture, Ján Sudzina, not hiding his excitement.

As he added, the second dimension is slightly personal. “I like listening to Polish contemporary music – by Krzysztof Penderecki, Henryk Górecki or Witold Lutoslawski. This will also fulfil my personal dream – to see him conduct live in Košice, although I have had the honour of seeing him once in Krakow.”

This year, Košice is enjoying a boom. “What we have achieved within the last decades was performances by composers such as Prokofiev, Bartók and Ysaÿe, which only happened over several years, but now we have several renowned musical personalities in one year. It can be compared to the time when Beethoven and Mozart came to Košice several centuries ago. Apart from the fact that Bent Sorensen has already been here, we will also host Toshio Hosokawa, Krzysztof Penderecki and Michael Jarrel, as well as almost one hundred contemporary composers during the autumn ISCM World New Music Days – the most significant worldwide presentation of contemporary classical music”, said the Director.

He is positive that this year will be written in the city’s history as a year when we had a concentration of excellent and renowned composers. It is almost unbelievable that this has been achieved. “This will certainly be of great significance for the city since composers living in Košice will have the opportunity to be compared with the current stars and have direct contact with them, which accelerates interest in music in Košice. It is an honour to attend such a concert.”

An oasis of freedom in arts

The Artistic Director of the residential ensemble, Barracks/Culture Park Quasars Ensemble, composer and piano virtuoso, Ivan Buffa, considers the arrival of the famous personality as the event of the year: “For me, he is one of the most prominent figures in Polish music, who symbolised an oasis in the freedom of arts to the whole of Europe, mainly via the Warsaw Autumn legendary festival, and was one of the inspirations and a rare opportunity for the whole region to encounter the ‘forbidden fruit’ of the West.”

The Polish composer is coming to St. Elizabeth’s Cathedral on 5th September to present his works personally. He will conduct pieces including Agnus Dei from the “Polish Requiem” (a version for a string orchestra – arr. Boris Pergamenschikow), Viola Concerto (version for the cello – arr. Boris Pergamenschikow), Sinfonietta per archi, Sinfonietta No. 3 (string quartet No. 3 – version for a string orchestra), Serenade for string orchestra, Ciaccona in memoriam John Paul II. for a string orchestra (from the “Polish Requiem”).

To enjoy a live concert from a unique composer, which Krzysztof Penderecki undoubtedly is, is the experience of a lifetime. It will be organised by the European Capital of Culture Košice 2013, which has prepared the concert in cooperation with the Adam Mickiewicz Institute.

Tickets are available from TICKETPORTAL: http://www.ticketportal.sk/event.aspx?id=18552

http://www.kosice2013.sk

http://www.iam.pl

http://www.culture.pl

http://www.akademiabeethovenowska.pl

http://www.cellist.nl

But MAZAL TOV!, which means ‘Good luck‘ in Hebrew, offers much more. The opening concert of this unique festival will feature Peter Breiner, Jozef Lupták, Stano Palúch, Boris Lenko and the Musica Cassovia orchestra.  The programme of the concert is just as unique – an interesting blend of classical music, klezmer and jazz, prepared for this occasion by Peter Breiner, a composer currently living in New York and a graduate of the Košice Conservatoire.

“Avishai Cohen, a phenomenal bassist, singer and composer, is definitely one of the contemporary jazz superstars. He is a musician of remarkable creativity and emotion, whose performances never fail to captivate a very broad audience, jazz enthusiasts and those not particularly interested in this type of music alike. An interesting blend of jazz, oriental and Latino motives, his music captured the attention of Chick Corea and resulted in seven years of collaboration. Avishai Cohen also performed with Bobby McFerrin, Alicia Keys and Herbie Hancock,” says Jana Šargová, the art director of the festival. Cohen’s new project, Avishai Cohen Quartet, will premier in Izrael early in July and soon after that, on 22 July, will close the MAZAL TOV! Festival in Košice, as a part of their major European tour. Most of their concerts have already been sold out. Cohen’s new project features musicians such as the saxophonist Eli Degibri and the young and talented pianist Nitai Hershkovits and drummer Ofri Nehemya. “We are delighted that the Quartet have added a concert in Košice to the already very busy programme of their European tour,” adds Mirka Vargová, the executive director of the festival.

The programme of the festival includes many well-known musical ensembles, including Budapešť Klezmer Band and Kaschauer Klezmer Band (20 July), Mendelssohn Chamber Orchestra (18 July), Shmuela Barzilai, the chief cantor of Vienna’s Jewish Community (21 July) and Tzomet, a Hungarian ensemble performing Sephardic songs (20 July). Please find attached the complete programme of the festival. 

Even before the festival begins, you can learn more about Jewish culture during the popular guided tours of Kosice and, this time, also of Prešov and Bardejov. The history of all these three cities is closely connected to Jewish communities and their architecture. The festival will also be accompanied by several exhibitions and educational events.

The MAZAL TOV! Festival is organised by the MoreMusic association, who chose the motto ‘Opening the windows wide‘. “Last year, we were able to embark on this project thanks to the funding from the Kosice – European Capital of Culture 2013,” says Mirka Vargová. “We would like to continue in bringing Jewish culture closer to the public, hoping to remove the barriers and shift the paradigms. Ignorance gives rise to prejudice and intolerance. We, on the other hand, want to open peoples’ minds though our cultural and educational activities.”

Following the success of the first festival last year, MAZAL TOV! already has fans abroad, not only in Slovakia. Tickets are available at Ticketportal, MiC Košice and Košice Visitor Centre. The admission to some of the events is free.

This festival is organised with the support of The Ministry of culture of the Slovak Republic, Košice – European Capital of Culture 2013, MAYSIKE and Austrian Cultural Forum and under the patronage of the Embassy of Israel in Slovakia.

For more information, visit www.mazaltov.sk 

Contact for the media:

Jana Šargová | jsargova@gmail.com | +421904 222 905, http://mazaltov.sk/press/

As an easy appetizer, the sold-out auditorium was served a composition by the Japanese author Kosaku Yamada (1886-1965). The short Overture in D major, in sound and form flirted with the European tradition of the imaginary intersection somewhere between Beethoven and Mendelssohn. With its classicist lines it excited and whetted the appetite of listeners for the main work of the evening. The first of these was the Violin Concerto in A minor, op.53 by Antonin Dvorak. The soloist performing was young Japanese violinist Sayaka Shoji. This phenomenally talented violinist, who won the Paganini competition at the age of 16 as the youngest participant in history, was noticed by famous conductor Zubin Mehta and their cooperation meant a great start of her great artistic career. Dvorak’s concerto in her interpretation was very robust, virtuoso and dramatic. Shoji has a beautiful tone, every detail of her playing is beautifully drawn and the sound of her Stradivarius playfully exceeded the orchestral tutti in tense areas, on the other hand, even the subtle pianissimo and flanger sounded resonant and plastic. The performance by the soloist and orchestra can not be described otherwise than as perfect. Possible controversy could be caused perhaps by the excess intensity of the of the soloist’s performance, somewhat depersonalised pursuit of perfectionism and commitment at the expense of tenderness and lyrical sensibility of the second part and the Finale, which did not rely too much on the character of Czech folk music and amusing danceability, but rather was marked by the monumental spirit of virtuosity, pathos and ferocity.

The highlight of the evening was undoubtedly Symphony No. 5 in E minor, op. 64 by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Koizumi, who conducted the entire concert from memory, directed the flow of music with just fine movements of his hands outstretched in front of him and at that moment it was impossible not to think of the legendary Herbert von Karajan and the fact that Koizumi studied in Berlin. Perhaps also because the Tokyo orchestra sound evoked the dense, complete and deep accent of the sound of the Berlin Philharmonic in the Karajan era. Typical characteristics of the Tokyo orchestra were the strictly “European” sound, the perfect line of bows, the perfect harmony of the wind section, fantastic playing of the brass instruments, unique interplay, depth of expression and cooperation with the presented music, the plasticity of the lines and the enchanting musicality.

After the introductory part, full of resolute movement and painful stops, the second part of the symphony was of a particular interest. It was Andante cantabile, which was in excellent proportions, even in spite of the heavy sound of bows; the woodwinds came naturally to the fore whenever the music required it. The finale of the symphony meant the climax of the evening and the dramatic tension caused some less experienced audience to applaud even before the end of it. The deep emotional world, the tragic visions and feelings of despair on the verge of personal uncertainty of Tchaikovsky, found amazing fulfilment in the hands of the Tokyo Metropolitan Orchestra. After an enthusiastic ovation from the audience, Koizumi spoke casually with the audience for a moment and as an encore the orchestra performed the polonaise from Tchaikovsky’s opera Eugene Onegin. Koizumi at the same time performed like a showman in the style of the British “Last Night of the Proms”, when instead of conducting he jokingly made fun with the audience and orchestra members.

In any case, such bombastic music had probably never been heard in the Košice House of Art before. The dynamics of sound orchestra worked almost like at rock concert and even the ordinary string Pizzicatos literally vibrated the room of the building. Their acoustic opposite was the dreamy surface of the sonorous Tchaikovsky’s Cantilena. The systematic architectural structure of the work, the perfect discipline of the members of the orchestra and the flawless execution with immense musicality conveyed to viewers a living experience, for which we would normally have to travel really far. The concert by the Tokyo Metropolitan Orchestra shifted awareness of the heights of the orchestral part of the world of performing arts to a reference level, with which we are now likely to compare all future musical events in the city and the region aspiring to the title of “exceptional”, for decades to come.

Peter Katina

It was an evening full of surprises, unusual physical and visual sequences, music and entertainment, and the audience was all part of it. Together they created paintings; they were an integral part of the performance. And certainly no one had guessed before that one can play the seat of a bicycle, an old TV and all kinds of objects.

It was something new. The visiting group filled the courtyard and wowed with their acting, movement and choreography. “I was surprised. It had an idea and a particular positive energy and humour. Those who missed their performance should regret it. It was very sophisticated, imaginative, interesting,” said student Veronika about this Japanese modern art and we can only agree with her. Actors, dancers, musicians in one person showed Košice their entertaining performance with a twist Shut up, Play! By professional performances they showed that one can play really everything there is at hand, one just needs to be able to change it into a source of music, pace and rhythm.

The pop experimental comedy from Japan could not fail to please. The technological details were all worked out in Japanese style. The actors just needed simple tools and without musical instruments they were able to make a small orchestra which could strike a chord with the audience.

“Our group The Original Tempo was formed in 2002 and comes from Osaka. We normally do music, dance, picture and sound. We do this by using different commodities such as water, cardboard, chairs, tables and different materials. These are the instruments we play. We have our own choreographer and designer, and actually what you see is the collective work of 14 people” explained theatre director Masahiro Kinoshita.

To the question of which “instrument” is most interesting he admitted with laughter “We record the voices of the audience and change them into disco music. To create instrumental music we use live material, which means members of the audience.”

The Japanese artists want to use their performances to stir in the audience such emotions, that when they come home they start to make music with the first thing that they pick up.

“We would like to give the audience our energy. I see our performances as a collective interactive work between the audience member and the actor. This close contact should bring closer and present Japanese culture to Slovaks” added the director. He doesn’t feel there is a difference between the Japanese and non-Japanese public. “We travel round the world. We have been for example to London, Edinburgh, Croatia, Seoul, to Taiwan and Singapore and it is the same everywhere.”

His feelings from visiting Slovakia are very good. “This is my first time here. I love it here but I don’t like the weather. I really like Košice because it is cool. There are beautiful old buildings here, I like walking round the centre and admiring the beautiful architecture”

The prestigious Japanese orchestra is on an exclusive Czech-Slovak tour. After a concert at the Prague Music Spring festival, the ensemble will perform in Košice, conducted by Kazuhiro Koizumi. Renowned musician Sayaka Shoji plays solo violin in Dvořák’s Violin Concerto. She has built a reputation on the international music scene after a triumph – taking First Prize at the prestigious Paganini Competition (1999), which won as the only Japanese and also the youngest female artist in history.

She has performed with the world’s leading conductors (Sir Colin Davis, Charles Dutoit, Mariss Jansons, Lorin Maazel, Zubin Mehta, Antonio Pappano, etc.). She plays with world-class orchestras (Berliner Philharmoniker, Bayerischer Staatsorchester, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, etc.). Shoji will conjure the most beautiful tones playing a 1729 Recamier Stradivarius – a precious musical instrument kindly loaned to her magical hands by Ueno Fine Chemicals Industry Ltd.

The concert begins with Japanese contemporary music – composer Kosaku Yamada wrote a new composition on this occasion – Overture in D major. After Dvořák’s Violin Concerto, the evening will culminate in the spectacular Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony.        

The performance of the world’s elite artists guarantees that the evening will sound with classical music pleasing the ears and souls of even the most demanding admirers and lovers of quality music. Top artists visiting Košice – European Capital of Culture – are sure to deliver a spectacular rendition. The musicians bring with them a piece of the Sun, and thus we all can touch the musical sky.

Sayaka Shoji – violin

Violinist Sayaka Shoji from Japan conquered the international music scene at 16 when she took First Prize at the prestigious Paganini Competition in Genoa (1999), where she triumphed as the only Japanese and also the youngest female artist in history. Gramophone (July 2011) wrote about her: „ Shoji emerges as a formidable musician, able to draw on huge reserves of stamina and the unflinching equal of anything thrown at her. The world is her oyster.“

After the triumph, she immediately drew the attention of Zubin Mehta, who invited her a year later to record with him and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra her debut CD for prestigious label Deutsche Grammophon.

The violinist grew up in Italy since childhood, then she studied in Israel and Germany. Shoji plays a 1729 Recamier Stradivarius and performs with major orchestras and conductors of the world.

Now 30 years old, the artist was born into an artistic family. Her mother is a painter, grandmother a poet. Violin fascinated her since childhood while listening to music. She asked her mother to buy her a musical instrument. First, she attended piano lessons, but she did not like it much. For her, it was too complicated and inconvenient. Her instincts gravitated to violin.

She lived in Italy since kindergarten. The small town of Siena has great opportunities relating to music, says Sayaka. During her studies at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana, she understood how to become a good musician. She also learnt to sing there, and she enjoys singing with others even today. Germany was for her a country of students where she learnt theory and the language. At the age of fourteen, Shoji went to Israel, where she met with the willingness of Jews who helped her. There, she encountered violinist Shlom Mintz, the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, and many people from the world of music.

Kazuhiro Koizumi – conductor

Japanese conductor Kazuhiro Koizumi has travelled as Guest Conductor throughout Europe and the United States. In his long and successful career, Kazuhiro has performed with such ensembles as the Berlin Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Century Orchestra Osaka, or  Sendai Philharmonic Orchestra.

Koizumi was born in Kyoto in 1949. He entered TokyoUniversity of the Arts, he studied conducting with Kazuo Yamada. After being awarded first prize in the second Min-On Concert Association of Japan Conducting Competition in 1970, he went on to become Assistant Conductor at the former Japan Philharmonic Orchestra, and was one of the conductors of the New Japan Philharmonic upon its founding in1972. Later that year, he began studying opera conducting at the Berlin Hochschule with professor Hans Martin Rabenstein.

In 1973, he was awarded First Prize at the 3rd Herbert von Karajan International Conducting Competition. Then he debuted in Berlin as a conductor with the Berlin Philharmonic. Koizumi conducted Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, performing with the legendary Anton Rubinstein and Mstislav Rostropovich. He was Music Director of Canada’s Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, and since 1988, he has been invited to conduct regularly by London’s Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

Since 2008, Kazuhiro has been a Resident Conductor of the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, and later he became Principal Conductor. He will become Music Director at Kyushu Symphony Orchestra from April 2013 too.

Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra

Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, also known as Tokio, is one of the representative symphony orchestras in Japan. It was formed in 1965, with Heinz Hofmann as its first Permanent Conductor, as a part of a cultural promotion project of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government to mark the Tokyo Olympic Games.

Since then, the orchestra has grown to become one of Japan’s foremost professional orchestras under the music directorship of conductors such as Tadashi Mori, Akeo Watanabe, and Hiroshi Wakasugi. Gary Bertini, who assumed the position of the fourth Music Director in 1998, established a new era with high reputation. His successor James DePreist contributed also in educational and outreach programs with acclaimed achievements.

Presently Eliahu Inbal serves as Principal Conductor, Kazuhiro Koizumi as Resident Conductor, and Jakub Hrůša as Principal Guest Conductor. Gary Bertini is Laureate Conductor and Jean Fournet is Permanent Honorary Conductor.

Overseas concert tours of the orchestra include Europe, Russia, North America and Asia. Lovers of classical music can hear the orchestra in May in Prague and also in the European Capital of Culture – Košice.

International chamber music festival Convergences takes place in Košice for the fifth time between 8^th April and 2^nd June. The Convergences opening concert is on 8^th April at the VojtechLöfflerMuseum at 18:00. Pianists Ivo Varbanov and Fiammetta Tarli, and cellist Jozef Lupták will perform the works by Johannes Brahms.

Renowned British vocal quartet The Hiliard Ensemble will give the last concert of their career in Slovakia. After successfully hosting twice at Convergences in Bratislava (the Officium novum project with Norwegian saxophonist Jan Garbarek, and the Bach programme Morimur), the ensemble accepted an invitation to the festival in the European Capital of Culture to present their renditions of the works by English Medieval and Renaissance composers on 1^st June. The concert in St. Elisabeth’s Cathedral will interestingly include the Slovak premiere of Cadman Requiem by contemporary English composer Gavin Bryars. Bryars´ composition will be accompanied by the world concert premiere of Vladimír Godár’s new composition, written upon a request from Convergences for The Hiliard Ensemble. Slovak musicians Igor Karško, Peter Vrbinčík and Jozef Lupták will perform together with the world-famous vocal ensemble in both compositions.

However, the festival begins two days earlier by the rendition of Silvester Lavrík’s literary-musical project Confidential Contract or Finding the Political Will (30^th May). Then, the festival continues to celebrate chamber music. Three excellent Slovak musicians – Igor Karško (violin), Jozef Lupták (cello), Nora Skuta (piano) – will perform the works by Leoš Janáček, Ernest Dohnányi, Dmitrij Shostakhovich and Johannes Brahms. Both events take place at the VojtechLöfflerMuseum.

Convergences often transcend genre boundaries. In the current year, the festival dramaturgy features the attractive programme Waiora by New Zealand composer and performer Horomon Horo (31^st May), whose performances blend elements of traditional Maori culture with different cross-genre inspirations. On 2^nd June, the festival ends with a performance by American string quartet Fine Arts Quartet with famous British cellist Robert Cohen. The ensemble performs the works by Rachmaninoff, Brahms, and Efrem Zimbalist (1889 – 1985), in Slovakia virtually unknown violinist, composer and conductor.

Tickets for the concerts and festival season tickets are on sale now at www.konvergencie.sk, and in the Ticketportal network.

Violinist Sayaka Shoji plays solo violin in Dvořák’s violin concerto. She became recognised by the international music scene after her triumphant success at prestigious Paganini Competition (1999), where she won as the only Japanese, and also the youngest female, violinist in history. She cooperates with big-name conductors (Sir Colin Davis, Charles Dutoit, Mariss Jansons, Lorin Maazel, Zubin Mehta, Antonio Pappano, etc.), and plays with world-class orchestras (Berliner Philharmoniker, Bayerischer Staatsorchester, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, etc.)

The concert will begin with Japanese contemporary music – composer Kosaku Yamada – Overture in D major. After Dvořák’s violin concerto, the evening will culminate in the spectacular Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony.        

26th May: House of Arts, Moyzesova Street 66, Košice

Early music played on period musical instruments warmed up hearts, soothed souls and sounded pleasantly for ears. Only the rather cold interior of the Cathedral was a slight disappointment. The cold weather surprised also the musicians when they arrived from much warmer Spain to not very amicable Košice. However, they managed to get warmed up through the quality music. The full Cathedral was breathless when interpreting Haydn’s The Seven Last Words of our Saviour on the Cross. As the gamba music maestro revealed, this piece is deep in his heart and it truly sounded so – from the heart.

“I have a personal relationship to Haydn. From a young age, when I was still playing the cello with my quartet, this opus excited and affected me. Actually, there were three compositions important to me at that time. The other two were Requiem and Art of Fugue by Bach. It was the very first composition that we recorded with the ensemble Le Concert des Nations 15 years ago, and one the few that we have recorded twice. The second time was in a cathedral in Cadize, for which Haydn composed it. Video was shot there as well, so now it is on DVD. I consider this composition a musical memorial, and one of the greatest works of music ever,” said charismatic J. Savall about the opus, which sounded in the Gothic temple. The listeners were mostly from Košice, but many people travelled from other towns and even from abroad to hear this great music.

“It is a unique opportunity to hear such amazing music live. It is very important to me. I have kept an eye on Savall for many years, collect his recordings and promote them. I play them in my radio sessions and talk about them, I monitor all his activities and also the works of his family members. I understand his desire for an authentic presentation of period works of early Baroque Spanish and French music, as well as overlaps into film music. I find it incredible. I would include Savall in the top five of the best contemporary experts in gamba music throughout the world. He has excellent players, instrumentalists, arrangers, it is simply the world’s top class. It is a great honour for me to be at his concert,” said Peter Katina, accordionist and music journalist, before the sound of the first tone.

High-quality and perfect music attracted to the Cathedral even musicians who are rather in the modern music world. Ivan Timko, No Name’s drummer, came to enjoy the Friday evening: “I like also classical music, I came here for a cultural experience. I have to admit that Savall and his orchestra are terra incognita for me, but I was lured to hear this kind of music. He is a world-class personality, so I am curious and want to learn something new. I have recently seen a film about a string quartet, and it inspired me to come to the concert. Since then, I have been floating on a string wave. I look forward to it, it will surely be amazing.”

What are the world-famous musician’s, who dusts off forgotten music, impressions of the hosting European Capital of Culture?

“Košice is a town with beautiful environment. It has nice architecture with historical features. It gives me great pleasure to perform Haydn’s work in your Cathedral. My first impression when I arrived in the city was that it has a great history. Everything we see around reminds us of the city’s past, there are visible traces of your ancestors. It is a result of the achievement to preserve the history of this city without modernistic excesses,” said J. Savall, and it sounded as pleasantly as the music he brought to Košice.

According to him, Košice has the privilege of retaining the heritage, and the resulting responsibility to balance the heritage with a modern running of the city. “Unlike the things we can touch, music lives only when we play it. Therefore, it is essential that we play music in these historical buildings, music that fits into this venue. Without a proper venue, the music could not exist at that level.”

Kveta Podhorská