Pianist Jan Schulmeister (b. 2006) belongs to the sixth generation of the Cern�-Schulmeister musical family. Jan Schulmeister has been playing the piano since he was five years old. He is a student of Bc. Eva Zonov� at Elementary Art School in Kromer�. Since the age of seven he regularly participates in national and international piano competitions where he gathers the highest awards. He cooperates with many Czech orchestras such as Brno Philharmonic, Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra in Olomouc and Prague chamber Orchestra. He performed under the conduction of personalities such as Tom� Netopil, Davies or Jakub Klecker. On this release, he presents a Romantic program of works by Johannes Brahms, Frederic Chopin, and Robert Schumann.

Czech composer Jaroslav Krcek is not only a composer and instrumentalist, but also a conductor and a great connoisseur of folk music, especially vocal genres. This new recording featuring vocal and instrumental works by the middle-generation composer features a composition of The Lord's Prayer from the Aramaic as well as other spiritual works. Jaroslav Krcek, born in 1939, studied composition with Miloslav Kabelac and conducting with Bohumir Liska at the Prague Conservatory of Music. After he graduated in 1962, he became a music editor for the recording company Suraphon, and also worked for Pizen Radio and Prague Radio. For more than two decades he has conducted the renowned ensemble Musica Bohemia, which has delighted many audiences at European music festivals. Musica Bohemia is heard on this release, as well.

This release includes four Concertos for harpsichord written by Joseph Anton Steffan who was one of the most prominent composers of Czech origin living in Vienna in 18th century. He was born in the small Bohemian village of Kopidlno, and thanks to his talent he made an international name for himself. In his best works he touched on the new horizon of Romanticism. His compositions became some of the most substantial sources of Mozart's inspiration. His catalog is dedicated primarily to keyboard instruments- in addition to other compositions he wrote more than 40 keyboard concertos. He was a favorite composer among the noble families and rich burghers, although he has now been almost forgotten in music history. The present release features Edita Keglerova and the Hipocondria Ensemble performing Steffan's Concertos for Harpsichord.

Anda-Louise Bogza is a leadering operatic soprano who performs in renowned opera houses across Europe. She has performed in starring roles such as Aida and Tosca, and here presents a programme of songs from composers Glinka, Chopin, Dvorak, Tchaikovsky, and Rachmaninoff. Especially notable on this release is the inclusion of the songs by Chopin, which have been rarely recorded. Talented pianists Marcel Javorcek and Galina Aleshkevich accompany Bogza for these works.

Kristina Fialova has been primarily praised by critics for her impeccable technique, impassioned performance and sophisticated musical sentiment. After winning the 2013 Michal Spisak International Competition in Katowice, Poland, she was invited to the major concert stages in Europe. Her appearance at the prestigious Tivoli Festival in Denmark was followed by her debuting at the Tonhalle Zurich and giving a recital at the 2015 Prague Spring Festival. She has performed at concert halls across Europe, including Russia, as well as in Africa, Asia, and the Americas. She is the winner of numerous international competitions, including Talents for Europe, Soutez Konzervatori, ACT London, Beethoven’s Hradec, and more. Kristina plays a Carlo Antonio Testore- Contrada 1745 viola. She is a Pirastro artist. For her new release she has recorded works by Rozsa, Godar, Penderecki, Khachaturian, Stravinsky and Bodorova.

Classical Music

J.S. Bach clearly thought of the solo Cello Suites as real cycles (no key repetition), while their textures are not as strongly polyphonic as those of his works for the solo violin. It is sometimes thought, therefore, that they were written somewhat earlier, but that is only an assumption. Their invention, technical prowess and form guarantee Bach's output for solo cello it's permanent place in the repertoire, as well as representing a great challenge to every cellist. A member of the Martinu Quartet, Jitka Vlas�nkov� ranks among the finest of contemporary Czech cello soloists.

One of the leading mezzo-sopranos of the Czech Republic, Eva Garajova has an impressively wide-ranging repertoire to her name, not only excelling in operas, but also lieder and chamber works. This new release from Garajova focuses on the work of twentieth century composers, including Eben, Part, Stravinsky, and Respighi. Also included on this release are world premiere recordings of compositions by Czech composer Sylvie Bodorova.

Czech Masses (2013) by Jan Mor�vek (bass), Jana Tukov� (alto), Marta Fadljevicov� (soprano), Ondrej Socha (tenor), Petr Cech (organ), V�clav Jel�nek (organ), Charles University Choir Prague (choir, chorus), Prague Youth Chamber Ensemble

This new release from ArcoDiva features the music of Czech composer Petr Fiala. Born in 1943 to a family with thirteen children, the composer, choirmaster and musician began his musical studies in 1960. From then until 1966 he studied piano, composition, and conducting at the Conservatoire in Brno. Afterward, he continued to study composition at the Janacek Academy of Performin Arts under Jan Kapr. Since 1971 he has worked as a professor of music theory, composition and conducting at the Brno Conservatory. He has written approximately 180 pieces, including a number of vocal and instrumental cycles for children and teenagers, a number of solo pieces for the piano, accordion, guitar, violin, cello, trumpet, and trombone, five string quartets, numerous chamber works, organ concertos, and a number of choral cycles, song cycles, oratorios and cantatas. This album features The Czech Christmas Mass, The Marian Mass, and Maria, Mystical Rose.

This new release from ArcoDiva features pieces for viola and violoncello, most of which are dedicated to the performers featured here, Kristina Fialova and Petr Nouzovsky. Kristina Fialova has been primarily praised by critics for her impeccable technique, impassioned performance and sophisticated musical sentiment. After winning the 2013 Michal Spisak International Competition in Katowice, Poland, she was invited to the major concert stages in Europe. Her appearance at the prestigious Tivoli Festival in Denmark was followed by her debuting at the Tonhalle Zurich and giving a recital at the 2015 Prague Spring festival. “The tender beauty of the viola sound, resourceful agogics and inexhaustible variations in both dynamics and tempo gave [the music] a whole new dimension, most attractive to the ear…” (Hudebni Rozhledy) Czech cellist Petr Nouzovsky has gone from strength to strength, having embarked upon an impressive career while still a student. As the winner of New Master on Tour (2007), the Europaische Forderpreis fur Musik (2007) and as laureate of the Val Tidone Competition (2011), he made his name on the international scene. He regularly performs with leading Czech and foreign orchestras, and is a highly sought-after chamber musician.

This new release features recordings of concertante pieces by Baroque masters for trumpet and strings, including Vivaldi, Tartini, Albinoni, Bellini, Bach, and Telemann. Guido Segers, solo trumpeter of the Munich Philharmonics, gives an excellent interpretation of these works. These are impeccable transcriptions of songs originally intended to be performed for violin or oboe. The Czech Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra and Marek Stilec provide a knowledgeable, dynamic interpretation of this highly-demanding music.

Prague Kaleidoscope contains several premiere works of today’s most promising Czech composers. Recorded by Duo Teres, an outstanding violin and guitar duo, the ensemble brings a beautiful testimony of contemporary Czech composition and musicianship. Duo Teres is comprised of violinist Lucia Fulka Kopsova, and guitarist Tomas Honek. Composers featured on this disc include Martin Brunner, Jan Freidlin, Karel Ruzicka, Lukas Hurnik, Ondrej Kukal, and Matej Benko.

Sergei Prokofiev’s score for the melodrama “Eugene Onegin” was written as incidental music for a centenary Pushkin celebration staging that Stalin abruptly halted and banned in 1936; as a result the work and the music went unheard until its recent discovery in a Russian archive and subsequent reconstruction. This almost unknown composition and its accompanying melodrama focuses on parts that Tchaikovsky, in his world-famous opera, didn’t set to music. Comparable with the best of Prokofiev’s music for film, it is both a deeply emotional and highly dramatic work.

• First ever portrait of Czech baritone Zdeněk Otava. • Otava, in a career spanning more than 50 years, premiered more than 160 roles and was seen on stage in Prague in excess of 3,000 times. • The music on offer includes rarely heard works of Czech composers including Novak, Fibich and Foerster. The DVD contains footage of Otava taken from Czech TV.