“Geysir” is a prelude for orchestra which portrays the great Icelandic geyser: the composer Leifs is one of the most important and original composers of music in Iceland in the 20th century. Grieg is renowned as a nationalist composer, which his works often based on Norwegian folk tunes and dances. Along with us is Roman Patocka from Czech Republic, presenting the only concerto that Sibelius wrote.

Concerts:

• February 26th, 2010 / 7.00 p.m. / MACM
• February 27th, 2010 / 4.00 p.m. / MACM

Conductor:

Gudni A. Emilsson

Soloist:

Roman Patocka, Violin

Program:

• Thai Traditional Music
• Jón Leifs: Prelude for Orchestra “Geysir”
• Jean Sibelius: Violin Concerto in D minor, op.47
• Edvard Grieg: Old Norwegian Melody with Variations, op.51

Roman Patocka, Violin

Roman Patočka is a star amongst today’s up and coming generation of classical soloists. Born in 1981 in Czech Republic. Patočka begun the violin at the age of five. He was taught by Mr Prchal and then at fourteen years old became a student of Dagmar Zárubová at the music Conservatory in Prague. He went on Universities to become a student of Ivan Štraus, Keiko Wataya and Shmuel Ashkenasi in the cities of Prague, Utrecht and Lübeck. In 2009 Patočka was awarded „Mit Auszeichnung bestanden“ for the completion of his concert exam diploma under Proffesor Stefan Picard at the Hanns Eisler Hochschule of Musik in Berlin.

Audiences in Europe, Japan and Israel have been stunned by Patočka’s artistry. Patočka brings out the essence of each composition he performs. At the same time he draws audiences to him and takes them on the musical journey he is making right up to the the moment he walks of the stage.

Winner and laureate of numerous competitions including the  International Violin Competition Leopold Mozart in Augsburg, Prague Spring Competition,Yamaha Scholarship Europe, Václav Huml International Competition in Zagreb, Ibolyka-Gyarfas in Berlin, Max Rostal in Berlin and Pablo de Sarasate in Pamplona. His competition success has led to many engagements and today he is in great demand as a solo violinist. Patočka performs concertos with the Hamburger Symphoniker, Filharmonie Nagoya, Kwangju Symphony Orchestra, La Orquesta Sinfónica de Navarra, Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra, Czech Radio Symphonic Orchestra, Brno Philharmonic Orchestra and the Prague Philharmona. He has worked with a number of emminent conductors including Sir Charles Mackerras, Jiří Bělohlávek, Vladimír Válek, Jakub Hrůša, Douglas Bostock, James Blair, Yoko Matsuo and Ud Joffe. In 2004 Patočka premiered Bohuslav Martinů’s Czech Rhapsody with the Berg Chamber Orchestra.

Patočka represented the Czech Republic in Japan’s international EXPO exhibition in 2005. A sought after violinist by Festival organizers, he performs a Les Heures Romantiques au Pays de Monthodon, Lange Nacht der Musik in Vienna, Les Journées Romantiques du Vaisseau Fantôme in Paris, Shafran Festival at Waldenburg castle, Prague Spring Festival, Chopin’s festival in  Mariánské Lázně and the Prague Music Festival.

Patočka broadcasts for Czech Radio, BBC Radio 3, Bayern 4, ORF, Radio 4 Netherlands, Romanian Radio and Japanese TV NHK.

Not satisfied with his busy solo schedule, Patocka collaborates with many leading chamber musicians: Radek Baborák; Jiří Bárta; Jan Talich; Jennifer Frautschi; Roberto Giordano; Martin Kasík and Maciej Pikulsky. In August 2008 Patočka’s debut album, with his pianist Frédéric Lagard, was released in France.

Patočka plays on a Enrico Ceruti Violin, made in Cremona 1845. The loan of this beautiful violin has been made possible through the support of Violin lent the Deutsche Stiftung Musikleben of Musical Instruments.