Příběh
How did it begin
After several rather random musical encounters, one day we found, that we would like to perform together. A beautiful project was created, with performances of music by M. Ravel and G. Crumb to the audiences in Brno, Prague and later in Zurich. Afterwards our artistic paths disconnected and it took another 10 years before we resurrected the idea of our collaboration. In the new project, we are united by our common passion for the music of Johann Sebastian Bach.
What is our objective?
Johann Sebastian Bach's music appeals to audiences across genres and styles. Thanks to this fact, the aim of the planned CD and LP is to address not only listeners and lovers of classical music, but also the audience, which is closer to styles of popular music, jazz and world music.
Details
Three Beautiful Sonatas (BWV 1027-1029) by J.S. Bach were probably composed sometime around 1720 on the initiative of Bach's colleague and good friend, gambist and cellist Christian Ferdinand Abel. We would like to record these sonatas on modern instruments, ie cello and piano, using our knowledge in the field of interpretation of the so-called "Early Music". All three sonatas (Sonata for Cello and Piano in G major, Sonata for Cello and Piano in D major, Sonata for Cello and Piano in g minor) are part of repertoir of our duo's concert project. Bach: Gamba Sonatas album release is meant as the culmination of the project. Duration approx. 45 min.
... whats more
On social networks we are known as "The two who stream with a dog". Best regards to Aretka :)
About us
Cellist and composer Štěpán Filípek (* 1981) is considered as one of the leading Czech artists. He graduated the Prague Conservatory in the class of František Pišinger. He studied at the Faculty of Music at JAMU with Miroslav Zicha and later in a doctoral study program with Jozef Podhoranský (cello) and Jindřiška Bártová (theory). He has also studied composition with Radomír Ištvan at the Brno Conservatory. As a chamber player, Štěpán Filípek has in recent years participated in the formation of ensembles Miloslav Ištvan Quartett, Solaris3, Opera Trio and Tango Quartetto Re Campo. At present, the most important element of Štěpán's interpretive direction is the recital discipline - he regularly performs with pianists Sára Medková, Katelyn Bouska, Kateřina Jandová and Marek Pinzow. He is also focused on concertant activities, such as the world premiere of the composition Evening separations - Concerto for electric cello and symphony orchestra by Brno author Ondřej Hájek, which was accompanied by the Pilsen Philharmonic in 2013, or the Czech premiere of Molitva-Concerto for cello and mixed choir by estonian composer Galina Grigorieva, accompanied by the Gaudeamus Brno choir, which took place in 2018. In addition, he has collaborated with Czech Radio on the documentation of contemporary works for cello. Many music festivals invited Štěpán Filípek as a soloist, chamber musician, or commissioned his composition: Moravian Autumn, Janáček Brno, Forfest, Music Contemporaneity, Meeting of New Music, So klingt die gegenwart !, Melos-Éthos, Exposition of New Music and more. Some personalities of the world of classical music dedicated their works to Filipek - Daniel Kessner, Violeta Dinescu, František Emmert, Radomír Ištvan, Jana Vöröšová, David Carpenter, Barry Wan, etc. He performs a master cello called "Imperio" by Brno luthier Jan Hus Bursík.
Pianist and composer Sára Medková (* 1983) is one of the most prominent Czech artists of today. After graduating from Kroměříž Church Conservatory with a degree in piano in the class of Jolana Zedeková, she studied composition at JAMU in Brno with Ivo Medek and piano at HAMU in Prague with Peter Toperczer and Ivo Kahánek. She extended her education with a one-year internship at the Hochschule Carl Maria von Weber in Dresden with Arkadi Zenzipér and in the master classes of world pianists (Boris Berman, Andrei Gavrilov, Eliso Virsaladze, Daniel Pollack, Daan Vandewalle, Avo Kouyoumdjian, etc.). She is currently continuing her doctoral study program at JAMU in Brno under the guidance of Igor Ardašev and Jaroslav Šťastný. She is a laureate of international piano competitions and in 2009 and 2012 she received prestigious scholarships from the Czech Music Fund. As a sought-after performer of contemporary music, she is often invited to present world premieres, of which she has more than a hundred. She has performed on concert stages in 22 countries in Europe, USA, Asia and Africa at the Shanghai Spring Music Festival, New Music Week, Ciclo conciertos de soistas fundación BBVA, Moravský podzim, Exposition of New Music, Pianodrom, Forfest, Smetanovské dny, Ad libitum, Audioart , etc. She is a member of the Marijan Ensemble and the ISHA trio, with which she recorded CD Ancient Stories and Love Stories. She regularly performs as a soloist with leading Czech and foreign orchestras (Brno Philharmonic, Moravian Philharmonic Olomouc, Bohuslav Martinů Philharmonic, Brno Contemporary Orchestra, Moscow Contemporary Ensemble, UNT Orchestra, Plural Ensemble) and records for Czech Radio. She collaborates with excellent conductors (A. Vinogradov, Z. Nagy, M. Tworek, C. Couturiaux, T. Hanus, L. Svárovský, P. Vronský, J. Klecker, A. Kománek). In 2017, she recorded the profile CD De Profundis for Arta records with works by J. S. Bach, V. Zouhar, I. Medek - S. Medková and F. Rzewski, which met with an enthusiastic response from the audience and critics.
Why we are doing it?
Because we enjoy the music!