Concert: Dream of Strings

Embassy Series presents violinist Jaroslav Svěcený and pianist Václav Mácha, who will perform the concert Dream of Strings on October 24, at 7 pm, at the Czech Embassy. The concert includes: Janáček’s Sonata for violin and piano, Beethoven’s Sonata No. 8 in G major, Dvořák’s Sonatina in G major, Op. 100, Suk’s Violin Solo from the Czech Fairy Tale ‘Radúz a Mahulena,’ Smetana’s From My Homeland, among others. Svěcený will also play his original composition Strings for NY. Svěcený has traveled throughout the world, performing at top venues and recording over 40 albums with international and Czech artists. Distinguished pianist Václav Mácha catapulted to the forefront of the music scene when he was only 15-years-old. Since then, he has garnered numerous awards and performed with orchestras in his homeland and beyond. Delight in an evening of masterpieces by legendary composers performed by this talented Czech duo.

 

Interestingly, one of the composers being performed during the concert includes Leoš Janáček. At only 29-years-old, Janáček was already a prodigy on the organ, a composer, and a choirmaster. He conducted the requiem at Gregor Mendel’s funeral held in the church at the monastery where Mendel had served as Abbot. 

 

Biographies:

Jaroslav Svěcený is one of the most notable contemporary Czech violinists. Svěcený’s numerous concert tours and festival performances have taken him across Europe, to the USA, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Russia, Turkey, Israel, Egypt, Algiers, Libya, Morocco, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines. To date, he has recorded 44 albums with works by international and Czech composers; many have been awarded gold or platinum discs. He was the first Czech violinist to record a CD for Sony Classical. In 1996, he was awarded the prestigious Masaryk Academy of Performing Arts Prize for creative artistic activity. Since then, he has won many awards, such as the Golden Plaque of the President of the Republic in 2010. He is also the co-founder of several prestigious Czech festivals and recently became active as a composer, premiering Strings for NYC in 2013. 

 

Václav Mácha has garnered success at international competitions, given numerous recitals at the largest concert venues in Prague and other cities throughout the Czech Republic (when he was 15 years old, he gave an independent recital at the Dvořák Hall of the Rudolfinum), across Europe, as well as in the USA, Canada, Mexico, Turkey and elsewhere in Asia. He has performed with the Czech Philharmonic, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Prague Philharmonia, Brno Philharmonic Orchestra, Suk Chamber Orchestra, Czech Chamber Orchestra, Hradec Králové Philharmonic, and with distinguished conductors (Bělohlávek, Kukal, Turnovský, Eliška, Koutník, Eiji Oue, Naoshi Takahashi, Kiyotaka Teraoka, etc.), soloists and ensembles (Josef Suk, Václav Hudeček, Ivan Ženatý, Jaroslav Svěcený, Bohumil Kotmel, Stamic Quartet, Czech Nonet, etc.). In 2009, he appeared at the Royal Albert Hall in London as a soloist with the BBC Symphony Orchestra at the BBC Proms festival. He has been a member of the Czech Philharmonic since 2012.

Event Details:

Date: October 24, 2017, at 7 pm

 

Location: Embassy of the Czech Republic

3900 Spring of Freedom Street, NW

Washington, DC 20008

 

Tickets: http://www.embassyseries.org/performances/jaroslav-sveceny-violin-vaclav-macha-piano-czech-embassy/

 

Embassy policy: No bags or suitcases allowed. Only small purses permitted but will be checked at the door. No coat check available. You must pass through security for entrance. RSVP confirmation and photo ID required. Doors close at 7:15 pm.

 

Parking: Non-metered parking is available on Spring of Freedom Street and Tilden Street.

 

Closest Metro: The Embassy is about a 15-20 minute walk from the Van Ness Metro Station.