Krzysztof Książek piano

The piano player Krzysztof Ksiazek, Semifinalist of the 17th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw, was born in Krakow (Poland) in 1992. He has given concerts in Japan, USA, France, Great Britain, Switzerland, Italy and Republic of South Africa. Two years ago he received scholarship of legendary Polish pianist Krystian Zimerman.

His piano education began at the age of 9, since 2005 he has been under the tutelage of Prof. Stefan Wojtas, first as a student at F.Chopin State Secondar y Music School in Krakow, then he continued at Academy of Music (Bachelor degree) at the same place. This October he is going to begin cooperation with the Israeli pianist and conductor Arie Vardi. He has been a winner of highest prizes at national and International competitions, e.g. Halina Czerny- Stefańska Piano Competition, where besides the Grand Prix he won also a special prize for the best performance of Chopin’s works. Ksiazek has also reached top positions at the Spanish Ricard Vines International Piano competition, at the International Chopin Piano Competition in Lvov, Ukraine and at the Paderewsky Piano Competition in Los Angeles and Polish Bydgoszcz. He is the bearer of the main prizes in Chopin national contests in Warsaw from the years 2013 and 2015.

He has given concerts in Japan, USA, France, Great Britain, Switzerland, Italy and Republic of South Africa. Two years ago he received scholarship of legendary Polish pianist Krystian Zimerman.

Jiří Rožeň conductor

The conductor Jiří Rožeň is the finalist in the prestigeous conducting contests, among others Nestlé and Salzburg Festival Young Conductors Award 2015, which earned him a guest appearance at the Salzburg Festival with Camerata Salzburg. In August he assisted to Thomas Dausgaard at the BBC Proms and to Donald Runnicles at the Edinburgh Festival.

The following season he is going to cooperate with the Brno Philharmonic, Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra and Prague Sympony „FOK“. This year he debuted successfully with PKF-Prague Philharmonia at the International Music Festival Prague Spring. In Glasgow he conducted the operas „The Bear“ by William Walton and Igor Stravinsky´s „Mavru“. J. Rožeň studied conducting abroad, at Hochschule für Musik und Thater Hamburg, further on at Zurich College of Art and at the University Mozarteum. At the Prague Conservatory he was student of M. Němcová, M. Košler and H. Farkač. Contemporary music and discovering rarely played compositions belongs among his priorities. He actively participated in masterclasses of B. Haitinek, D. Robertson, J. Panula, M. Sieghart as well as at conducting seminar of Jiří Bělohlávek.

PKF - Prague Philharmonia

Ranked among the Czech Republic’s foremost orchestras and built up renown abroad. The Orchestra frequently performs at prestigious world concert halls as Konzerthaus Berlin, Royal Albert Hall London, Suntory Hall Tokyo, Musikverein Vienna, Théatre des Champs-Elysées Paris, Opera Los Angeles, La Scala Milan, is a regular guest at international music festivals, among others Prague Spring, BBC Proms London and Bad Kissingen. The fundamental configuration of the Prague Philharmonia is based on the type of orchestra dating from the period of Viennese Classicism. The young soul of orchestra reflects in the involvement with which its musicians play at concerts.

PKF - Prague Philharmonia was established in 1994 upon the initiative of the world renowned conductor Jiří Bělohlávek who later became the chief conductor of BBC Symphony Orchestra London.