Programme

G.B. Platti (c1697–1763)                      Ricercata I for violin and cello

L. van Beethoven (1750 – 1827)         Serenade D Major op. 8

G. Klein (1919 – 1945)                          String Trio  

Adéla Štajnochrová graduated from the Prague Conservatory in the class of Dana Vlachová (1998), furthering her studies at the Academy of Performing Arts, Prague, in the class of Prof. Petr Messiereur. She got her postgraduate degree at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London, where she studied with Krzysztof Smietana and Rachel Podger. In 1994, she was a finalist in the Beethoven International Violin Competition (CZ) and in 2002 she was a semi-finalist in the Konzertgesellschaft Competition, Munich. She took part in many international master classes in the USA, Austria and France held by Lewis Kaplan, Schmuel Ashkenazi, Ida Levin and John Holloway. As a member of the Škampa Quartet and ArteMiss Piano Trio, Adéla focuses mainly on chamber music, but she also performs as a soloist with orchestras, gives recitals, and cooperates with early music ensembles (Collegium 1704, Musica Florea, Ensemble Inégal). In 2012 she finished her doctorate studies at the Academy of Performing Arts, Prague.

Josef Klusoň studied the 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.