ENSEMBLE MARTINŮ

Prague piano quartet

Miroslav Matějka – flute, artistic leader
Radka Preislerová – violin
Bledar Zajmi – cello
Andrea Mottlová – piano

The Ensemble Martinů, a Czech piano quartet. The Ensemble Martinů has produced on 10 CD´s and regularly made records for the Czech Radio, the Czech TV include the production of one piece of film music as well.

The Ensemble Martinů has been invited for more than 1200 concerts and tours around the world. They performed in many EU countries ( mostly in Frnce, Germany, Spain, Sweden, Denmark, also Austria, Italy, Romania, Hungary, Poland, Bulgary, Neetherland, Greece, Estonia), Switzerland, Ukraine, China, Brazil, explicity as : Beejing International Music Festival in Forrbiden City, Amsterdam - Concertgebouw, "Sala Cecília Meireles" in Rio de Janeiro, "CondeDuque" in Madrid, Budapest Tavaszi Festivál (Budapest Spring Festival),Konserthuset Stockholm, Stora Lundby Konsertförening, Music Festival de Santorini, Chamber music festival at Plovdiv, International festival de Santorini, Altafulla International festival (Spain, Catalunya), Alba International music festival (Italy).

Ensemble appears at regulary international music festivals and organizers at the Czech Republic : at the Czech Philharmony - Rudolfinum (festival Prague Premiers, the concert series of the Czech Association for Chamber Music), Prague Spring Festival, Prague Symphony Orchestra FOK, Intenational Television Festival Golden Prague, Smetana´s Litomysl - International Opera Festival, Dvořák´s Festival, Martinů Fest and Janacek´s May etc, in.

The Ensemble Martinů was founded in 1978 by the flautist Jan Riedlbauch, a professor of the Prague Conservatory, and his brother Josef as well as Mr. J. Pípal, F.Kůda, J.Pěruška. In that time – aproximatly about 1977-78 - there began the story of the ensemble. It was the time when Charlotte Martinů - widow of the great Czech composer Bohuslav Martinů - visited the Czech Republic. She had decided to transport remains of her husband to his home in Polička in the Czech land. In 1993 the Ensemble M. was renewed after a brief pause by its present leader, the flautist Miroslav Matějka.

The repepertory contains about 90 compositions. Along with the traditional repertoire from the 18th to the 20th centuries (including A. Dvořák, L. van Beethoven, M. Ravel, A.Piazzolla), the group has concentrated especially on the music of Bohuslav Martinů and also on works by contemporary Czech composers for piano quartet or piano trio with flute. In this way the Ensemble Martinů has definitely established the piano quartet genre in Central Europe (with the flute replacing the viola) and has prompted a number of leading more than 50 Czech composers to write works for it (Z. Lukáš, O. Mácha, J. F. Fischer, S. Bodorová, V. Riedlbauch, M. Kubička, J. Matys, I.Hurník etc). Thus the group has won recognition for presenting contemporary Czech music in its historical and world context. Its repertoire also includes works that incorporate elements of rock, jazz, blues and swing. Since June 2003 Ensemble Martinů is one of the group to be appointed for the highest regular Czech Price - Award of the Czech Chamber Group - Czech Philharmony.

Discography of the Ensemble Martinů : “Con Flauto” and “Meetings-Departings’” - Czech Contemporary Music - Triga Publishers/Czech Radio, “Echoes from Long Ago”’ - EM-ART, “Astor Piazzolla -Tangos’”- BonArtProduction/Panther, ”RendezVous” - French and Czech music - CubeBohemia, “Jazz&Rock in Classic” - Radioservis, “Antonín Dvořák”- MusicVars/Czech Touches of Music, Ensemble Martinů „Live“ - American Dream of Bohuslav Martinů” – Czech Radio / EM-ART, DVD – Ensemble Martinů „Live“ at Golden Prague festival – Czech TV/EM-ART.

All members of the Ensemble M. represent the highest quality of Czech musicians.

The flautist Miroslav Matějka has performed and recorded in more than 50 premiers of compositions by contemporary Czech composers. He also performs with prestigious leading orchestras, actors, artists (Virtuosi di Praga, J.Hosprová, V.Hudeček ets). He has been working as a director for the IMF Czech Touches of Music, as well as an advisor for Public Relations & Media things. He graduated from the Prague Conservatory (prof. Jan Riedlbauch) and the Charles University at Prague.

The violinist Radka Preislerová started her profesional career in 1993 as a member of the Opera orchestra of the National Theatre in Prague, and Ensemble Martinů. She has graduated from The Concervatory and Academy Music of Art under professor Vladimír Rejšek. In the beginning of the 90’s he had became the member of the prestigious Young orchestra of the European Union countries as only one exlusive violinist from the Czechai (formerly Czechoslovak).

The violoncellist Bledar Zajmi at his 12 years of age, he won the 2nd price in the cello National Competition and starts giving concerts in Albania and abroad. After graduating at the musical arts highschool in Tirana (prof. Xhovalin Lazri) he compeets for and wins the scholarship for the Academy of Music in Prague, where he studies during 1992-1997 (doc.Rudolf Lojda) and graduates with honors. In 1999, he wins the 2nd prize and the jury’s Special Prize for the best interpretation of the contest piece played in the international Chamber music Competition “Palma d’Oro” (Duo cello and piano) in Finale Ligure, Italy. In 2004, he wins silver and 3rd prize in the international Chamber music Competition “Rovere d’Oro” (Duo cello and piano) in San Bartolomeo al Mare in Italy. Since the year 2000, he has been the concertmaster-cello soloist at the Opera orchestra National theatre Prague.

The pianist Andrea Mottlová - solo pianist with a flair for chamber music, accompanying soloists and performing with an orchestra. She completed her studies at The Prague Conservatory under Michal Rezek and Emil Leichner performing piano concerto no.1 Des dur by Sergej Prokofjev with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. She graduated from The Prague Academy of Performing Arts. While there she studied under Martin Kasík and František Malý Andrea, playing piano concerto “Totentanz” by Ferenc Liszt at her graduation. As an actress Andrea played the role of Blaženka, a happy-go-lucky pianist with a voracious appetite in the film "Don Juans" by by Oscar winning director Jiří Menzel.