VIAF 2014

World-renowned cellist Daniel Veis performing this evening …

Daniel Veis and Helena Veisová are back.

As always it is a much expected concert and no matter how high the expectation the result is always that little bit higher…. I have just heard them practising and it is both exhilarating and humbling. After yesterday’s superb concert by the Veis’ children Simon and Barbora, together with their spouses Marko and Santa-Monica, this is a very exciting time for us all!

Czech cellist and Tchaikovsky Competition winner Daniel Veis, together with his pianist wife Helena Veisová will be performing a concert of works by Schumann, Brahms and Saint-Saëns.

Daniel Veis has been widely recognized as the finest Czech cellist since winning the Silver Medal at the prestigious 1978 Tchaikovsky International Competition, Moscow, and the First Prize at the 1976 Prague Spring International Competition. He started his musical studies in his native Prague, after which he proceeded to the Moscow Conservatoire furthering his studies with the famous Natalia Shakhovskaya, graduating with full honours. Since 1979 he has performed regularly as a brilliant soloist with many major orchestras in such respected venues, namely, the Avery Fisher Hall, New York, the Royal Albert Hall, London, Orchard Hall, Tokyo, Auditorí de Barcelona, Auditorio National de Madrid, and numerous others. He has worked with world-famous conductors and cellists, namely, Sir Charles Mackerras, S. Baudo, V. Neumann, Y.P. Tortelier, G. Delogu, J. Bělohlávek, O. Danon, and the legendary J.P. Saraste.  Prof. Veis has also recorded works by Dvořák, Brahms, Schumann, Mendelssohn, Martinů, Saint-Saëns, Sommer, Tchaikovsky, Kabeláč, Hanuš, and Shostakovich for various labels. His repertoire is both vast and substantial, and includes a lot of contemporary compositions. In 1989 he became a guest-soloist of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. In addition to his solo career he is also a member of the Rosamunde Trio, a chamber ensemble of international repute, together with British pianist M. Tirimo and American-Israeli violinist B. Sayevich. He is also Professor of violoncello and vice-dean at the Music Faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts, Prague. He gives master classes and is frequently invited to chair adjudicating panels in international competitions. He has recently been appointed Professor of Violoncello at Park University, Kansas City.  Daniel plays a G.B. Guadagnini violoncello, Milano, 1754.

Helena Veisová started her pianoforte studies at six years of age, and at twelve she performed with her father, the legendary violin virtuoso Václav Snitil. Her professional career had its natural origin in the musical environment of her family. She graduated from the Academy of Performing Arts, Prague, where at the young age of 14 she studied with the famous Jan Panenka. She concluded her frequent and successful competition activities by winning Second Prize in the international radio competition Concertino Praga. She subsequently started her permanent co-operation with her former trio partner and future husband, Daniel Veis. Helena occasionally plays together with both her husband and son in piano trio, and she has also appeared with them in a number of concerts in many European countries, including Russia. She has performed on live radio and television broadcasts, and has made numerous recordings for radio and CDs.  According to the prestigious journal The Strad (1995), Helena is a pianist who has an “excellent command, endowed with a supreme musicality and perfect coordination when playing with other musicians”. She currently teaches in the music faculty at the Academy of Performing Arts and the Music College, Prague. She is also the mother of three children and grandmother of two little girls. This is Helena’s ninth consecutive performance in the Victoria International Arts Festival.