Dear festival visitors,


  You are invited to the "FESTIVAL BRIKCIUS" - the 3rd chamber music concert series at the Stone Bell House & "Year of Czech Music 2014", organized in partnership with the City Gallery Prague this autumn, in the exclusive location of the Stone Bell House in Prague's Old Town square.

  The Festival Brikcius is taking place under the auspices of the Mayor of City of Prague, Tomáš Hudeček, under the auspices of the Mayor of Prague 1, Oldřich Lomecký, and in cooperation with the Prague 1. The artistic patrons of the Year of Czech Music 2014 are the mezzo soprano Magdalena Kožená and the chief conductor Sir Simon Rattle.

  The Festival Brikcius commemorates the 55th anniversary of the death of Bohuslav Martinů, the 70th anniversary of the death of Zikmund Schul, the 95th anniversary of the birth of Gideon Klein, the 110th anniversary of the death of Antonín Dvořák, the 110th anniversary of the birth of Iša Krejčí, the 120th anniversary of the birth of Erwin Schulhoff, the 140th anniversary of the birth of Josef Suk and the 160th anniversary of the birth of Leoš Janáček.

  The 3rd annual festival will feature Czech cellist František Brikcius, French pianist Justine Verdier, Czech cellist Anna Brikciusová and siblings cello chamber ensemble Duo Brikcius. The dramaturgy of this "Year of Czech Music 2014" is focused on anniversaries of Czech composers (B. Martinů, A. Dvořák, I. Krejčí, J. Suk, L. Janáček); "Terezín"/Jewish authors (E. Schulhoff, G. Klein, Z. Schul); and contemporary music works (J. Matys, P. Hejný, J. Jirásek, L Fišer, M. Štědroň, I. Kosíková). For further information, visit http://Festival.Brikcius.com .

  The "Festival Brikcius" concerts take place on chosen Thursdays of the months of autumn at 7.30pm. (6th November, 20th November, 18th December + 16th October, 16th & 17th November 2014). Concerts are for solo cello, for cello and piano and for two cellos.

- The opening November concert PRAGUE - BRNO: 6 CONTEMPORARY COMPOSITIONS FOR SOLO CELLO will take place on Thursday 6th November 2014 at 7.30pm. Czech cellist František Brikcius will present cello works by leading composers from Prague and Brno (Luboš Fišer, Petr Hejný, Jan Jirásek, Irena Kosíková, Jiří Matys and Miloš Štědroň). You will hear Fantasie and Rondo (1982) by composer Jiří Matys, Metall Sonata (1983) by cellist, artist and composer Petr Hejný, Dilema (1987) by film composer Jan Jirásek, Sonata (1987) by music and film composer Luboš Fišer, Dances of King Lear (1995) by a composer from Brno, Miloš Štědroň, and Stopy (2004) by Czech composer and organist Irena Kosíková. A live recording of the concert held under the auspices of Václav Havel was released on CD and introduced by following concert tour "Brikcius Cello Tour" in the Czech Republic, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Italy, Russia and the United Kingdom. As a special encore you will hear Bassnachtigall (1922) by Jewish composer and pianist Erwin Schulhoff (1894 - 1942).

- The November concert DUO BRIKCIUS & YEAR OF CZECH MUSIC (2 Cellists - 2 Siblings) will take place on Thursday 20th November 2014 at 7.30pm. The two cellists, brother and sister Anna Brikciusová and František Brikcius (Duo Brikcius), will introduce a new programme for two cellos. It includes: Suite for Two Cellos by composer and cellist from Prague David Popper (1843 - 1913);  Chassidic Dances by "Terezín" Jewish composer Zikmund Schul (1916 - 1944); Composition for Two Cellos by Czech composer Bohuslav Martinů (1890 - 1959; Duo by "Terezín" Jewish composer Gideon Klein (1919 - 1945), written shortly before World War II. The Duo and other pieces by Gideon Klein were promoted and revised by composer Vojtěch Saudek (1951 - 2003), grandnephew of Franz Kafka; and Arrangement of the Presto by Czech composer Leoš Janáček (1854 - 1928). As a special encore Duo Brikcius will play the composition Bridges for two cellos by Czech composer and organist Irena Kosíková who lives in France. The music is dedicated to Swiss bridge builder Toni Rüttimann.

- The final Christmas concert CELLO AND PIANO & FIVE JUBILEES will take place on Thursday 18th December 2014 at 7.30pm. French pianist Justine Verdier and Czech cellist František Brikcius will play compositions of five authors for cello and piano, who's important anniversaries we remind this year. They are Pohádka for cello and piano by Leoš Janáček (1854 - 1928), Balada and Serenada for cello and piano op. 3 by Josef Suk (1874 - 1935), Sonatina concertante for cello and piano by Iša Krejčí (1904 - 1968), Klid op. 68 for cello and piano by Antonín Dvořák (1841 - 1904) and Variations sur un theme slovaque, H. 378 by Bohuslav Martinů (1890 - 1959). As a special encore they will perform Presto by Leoš Janáček (1854 - 1928).

  Tickets for the concerts at the Stone Bell House can be obtained either from Prague Ticket Office - Via Musica, Ticketon.cz or at the door from about 90 minutes before every concert. Prices: 400,- Kč (advance ticket sales 380,- Kč) / senior discount, student discount: 200,- Kč (advance ticket sales 180,- Kč). Given the limited number of seats we strongly recommend early booking! We encourage you to support "Festival Brikcius" and buy a patron's ticket.

  As part of the festival's accompanying programme there will take place in France, on Thursday 16th October 2014 at 7.30pm, the gala opening of the Czech-French cooperation in the occasion of the CZECH-FRENCH MUSIC ENCOUNTER, hosting Czech organist and composer Irena Kosíková, Duo Brikcius (2 Cellists - 2 Siblings) and guests from France. By invitation only.

  Like previous such projects (e.g. eSACHERe", "MAKANNA", "Duo Brikcius - 2 Cellos Tour", "Weinberger Tour", "Festival Brikcius", ...), "Festival Brikcius" forms part of the Daniel Pearl World Music Days, which commemorate the legacy of Jewish journalist, musician Daniel Pearl, brutally murdered by group of terrorists for defending freedom of speech.

  The Festival supports and promotes Czech contemporary composers through the project PRAGUE - BRNO: 6 CONTEMPORARY COMPOSITIONS FOR SOLO CELLO which introduces compositions by selected composers. These compositions will be included in the programme, documented and subsequently made publicly available in the form of short films.

  Another accompanying activity will be the poetry reading BRIKCIUSOVÁ NA PRÁDLE - OPILÁ PLACHTIVICE from Anna Brikciusová's new poetry collection, read by Jan Židlický with accompanying music by the author, scheduled for Sunday 16th November 2014 at 6pm, at the Church of St. Jan Křtitel Na Prádle (Říční 6, Praha 1), as part of the 16th Festival Poetry Day and  the 204th anniversary of the birth of poet Karel Hynek Mácha. Free entry. The main purpose of the annual Poetry Day Festival, held on the anniversary of Macha's birth (16th November 1810), is to raise awareness of poetry. The event will also premiere a new composition by organist and composer Irena Kosíková.

  Festival Brikcius is a media partner of film music document MAKANNA from the concert performance of a ballet written by composer Irena Kosíková for voice (Jan Židlický) solo cello (František Brikcius) and orchestra (Jan Talich - conductor, Talich Chamber Orchestra), premiered at the Convent of St Agnes of Bohemia under the auspices of Sir Tom Stoppard and Václav Havel. The film celebrates the 55th anniversary of the death of the Czech writer Jiří Weil (1900 - 1959). The premiere will launch on Thursday 27th November 2014 at 7.30pm on YouTube ( http://www.YouTube.com/FrantisekBrikcius ).

  Would you like to support "Festival Brikcius", either financially or otherwise, but don't know how? Please choose one of many options mentioned in the "SUPPORT" section and/or contact us directly. Thank you.