Programme

F. Schubert (1797 – 1828)                    String Trio in B Major D. 471

A. Dvořák (1841-1904)                         Miniatures op. 75a (arr. for violin, viola and violoncello)

Cavatina; Capriccio; Elegia; Romanza

L. van Beethoven (1770-1827)            String Trio no. 3 in G major op. 9 no. 1

Pro Arte Trio Prague was formed several years ago, and was a natural outcome of the meeting and collaboration of three musicians who already had extensive experience as soloists and chamber players. They realised the creative possibilities offered by the repertoire for three instruments (violin, viola, and violoncello), connecting through a shared musical sensibility and imagination.

Marie Magdalena Fuxová was born into a musical family. She began winning competitions from a young age, most notably the Czech Conservatory Competition twice, and the first prize at the Kocián International Violin Competition twice. She was a regular participant in summer master classes in Semmering, Austria, where she received the Wiener Classic Prize and the Bohuslav Martinů Prize. She also won the International Bohuslav Martinů Competition, Prague, the Beethoven Competition, and multiple other international awards.

After graduating from the Janáček Conservatory, Marie Magdalena studied at the Academy of Performing Arts, Prague, with Prof. Ivan Straus and with other top Czech and international violinists, including Prof. Michael Frischenschlager, Charles Avsharian, Ruggiero Ricci, Eszter Perényi, Václav Hudeček and František Novotný. She was a member of the Pavel Haas Quartet, with whom she gave concerts in prestigious halls worldwide, and in 2009 received the MIDEM Classical Award in the chamber music category in Cannes. She also performs with the Bavarian Chamber Orchestra and the Pro Arte Trio Prague. Since 2020, Marie has been a member of the Pražák Quartet. She teaches at the Gymnasium and Music School, Prague, and collaborates with the Dubai National Conservatory.

Josef Klusoň studied viola at the Conservatory of Music and Academy of Fine Arts, Prague, in the class of Josef Koďousek, a member of the Vlach Quartet. During this time, he was awarded many prizes both in viola and chamber music competitions. In 1972, together with Josef Pražák and Václav Remeš, he founded the Pražák Quartet, with whom he has performed extensively to great acclaim, appearing repeatedly worldwide in venues such as the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, Konzerthaus, Vienna, Carnegie Hall, New York, the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, Paris, Wigmore Hall, London, and many more.

In addition to his activities in the Quartet, Josef appears as partner of renowned groups in various chamber music and gives many master classes, most recently at the CME, Bruxelles, Musica Mundi, ProQuartet, and Sommerakademie Wien. He has recorded the complete Sonatas for Viola and piano by Reger, Martinů and Brahms for Radio Prague and Harmonia Mundi. He has also been a jury member at several major string quartet competitions.

Jitka Vlašánková completed her violoncello studies at the Prague Conservatory and the Academy of Performing Arts by performing the Rococo Variations by Tchaikovsky and Haydn’s Concerto in D Major in the Prague Rudolfinum,. A British Council scholarship allowed her to study in London for six months with the legendary William Pleeth. She participated in European master classes with A. Navarra and E. Rauttio, and also in the Georg Piatigorsky seminar in Los Angeles with B. Greenhouse. Jitka has been awarded a number of prizes, including 3rd prize and the title “laureate” in the Prague Spring Competition; the prize for the best ‘Performance of a Composition by D. Popper’ at the Pablo Casals Competition, Budapest; the prize for the best ‘Dvořák G minor Rondo’ in the Ministry of Culture competition; and 1st prize in the ‘Beethoven Hradec’. She has given recitals at home and abroad, and has recorded many cello sonatas for Czech Radio, including those by Rachmaninov, Chopin, Franck, Shostakovich, and Schubert. Her CD J.S.Bach: Suites 1-3 received recognition from the music magazine HARMONIE and was marked as “Tip of Harmonie.” Jitka became a member of the Martinů Quartet in 1987, and more recently also a member of the Pro Arte Trio. During her career she has shared the stage and recording studios with Josef Suk, Arto Noras, Michel Lethiec and Colin Carr, and also with the Panocha, Pražák, Stamic and Manhattan Quartets. Additionally, Jitka has served as jury member in international competitions in Pretoria, Austria and Czech Republic, including the B. Martinů Foundation Competition. Since 2000, she has been teaching cello and chamber music at the Gymnasium and Music School, Prague. Jitka plays a French cello by François Gand from 1830.