6 March 2015

Odeion

19:30

"Lukáš Vondrácek drew the finest possible lines and added bell-like sounds as soft as butter, allowing the disparate compositional elements to become part of a greater whole. It comes as no surprise that this young musician is recognized as one of the greatest pianistic talents of our times.” (Stuttgarter Zeitung, April 2012)

"27-year-old Czech pianist Lukáš Vondrácek and conductor Anu Tali collaborated on a brilliant reading of Rachmaninoff’s “Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini,” bringing out inner voices and colors that made this work seem reborn. There were ripples of humor, stretches of passion and intense musicality that delineated the kind of music-making generally relegated to the best of chamber performances." (Herald-Tribune (Sarasota), November 2013)

Born in Opava (Czech Republic) in 1986, Lukáš gave his first concert at the age of four and now, has already visited 27 different countries giving in excess of 1000 concerts.  His first international tour was at the age of ten. 

He also spent time studying at the Vienna Hochschule with Prof Peter Barcaba, at the Academy of Music in Katowice (Poland), with Prof Andrzej Jasinsky, and at Ostrava University with Prof Rudolf Bernatik.  Currently Lukáš is pursuing an Artist Diploma at the New England Conservatory (Boston) under the tutelage of Prof Hung-Kuan Chen.  He performed debut recitals at La Cite in Paris, the Palais des Beaux Arts (Brussels), the Auditorio Nacional (Madrid), the Concertgebouw (Amsterdam) and the Tonhalle (Zurich).

Lukáš made his debut with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra and conductor Vladimir Ashkenazy in May 2002.  As a concert soloist Lukáš has played with orchestras throughout the world: the Philharmonia, Royal Liverpool, and Royal Scottish National Orchestra (UK), St. Petersburg Philharmonic, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Cape Town Philharmonic, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester (Berlin), Malta National Orchestra and the symphonies of Iceland, Dallas and Cincinnati. 

He has toured in Japan with the NHK Symphony. In December 2007 he performed in Sao Paulo (Brasil), with one of the leading orchestras in South America, the Orquestra Sinfonica do Estado de Sao Paulo.  During the 2008/2009 season he made his recital debut in Istanbul before returning to the US for a number of concerts with the El Paso, the Colorado, and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestras.  Performances in Germany, Switzerland, Canada, the United States, Nigeria and Great Britain were among the highlights of the 2010/2011 season.  Engagements of 2011/2012 include concerts with the Orchestre National de Belgique, Orquestra Sinfonica Portuguesa, London Philharmonic and Washington's National Symphony Orchestra.

In 2010 he won first prize at the 10th Hilton Head International Piano Competition in South Carolina (USA).  In 2012 he took first prize, grand prize plus four special prizes at the 2012 UNISA Vodacom International Piano Competition (Pretoria). 

PROGRAMME

Mozart: Sonata No. 10 in C major, K.330

Smetana: Three Czech Dances (Furiant, Hulán, Cibulicka)

Dohnanyi: Capriccio from Four Pieces, Op. 4 No. 2

Suk: Piano Pieces, Op. 7 (No. 1 Love Song, No. 4 Little Idylls)

Schumann: Symphonic Etudes, Op. 13

ADMISSION

R130 (adults)

R90 (pensioners)

R70 (UFS staff)

R50 (students and learners)

R50 (group bookings of 10+)

Tickets available at Computicket.

ENQUIRIES

Ninette Pretorius (tel. 051 – 401 2504)