Duo of cellist Štěpán Filípek and pianist Katelyn Bouska will present as part of their recital at Czech Center New York works by Czech composers. In addition to 20th century music, represented by Vítězslava Kaprálová, Bohuslav Martinů and Miloslav Ištvan, the audience will also have unique opportunity to enjoy two beautiful but practically unknown pieces by early romantic composer Jan Václav Hugo Voříšek.
You can register here.
Program
Jan Václav Hugo Voříšek: Variations for Cello and Piano, Op. 9
Vítězslava Kaprálová: April preludes for piano, Op. 13
Allegro ma non troppo
Andante
Andante semplice
Vivo
Leoš Janáček: Fairytale for Cello and Piano
Con moto
Con moto
Allegro
Vítězslava Kaprálová: Ritornel for Cello and Piano, Op. 25
---intermission---
Jan Václav Hugo Voříšek: Rondo for Cello and Piano, Op. 2
Miloslav Ištvan: Sonata for Cello and Piano
Introduzione
Canto
Recapitulazione
Bohuslav Martinů: Variations on a Slovakian folk song for Cello and Piano, H.378
It was in search for a new generation of Czech composers, that pianist Katelyn Bouska first met cellist Štěpán Filípek in the summer of 2015. Since then, the duo has gradually built a close collaboration dedicated to that same spirit of discovery and commitment to the performance of contemporary or little-known Czech and American music. Their first album, published in 2018 by Český Rozhlas on their Radioservis label, connected the cities of Brno and Philadelphia with works by Leoš Janáček, Miloslav Ištvan, Samuel Barber and Jeremy Gill. Their upcoming second album, on the same label, is entitled ‘The Art of Rondo’ and features works by Antonín Dvořák and Jan Václav Hugo Voříšek as well as two works commissioned by them by American composer David Carpenter and Hong Kong composer Barry Wan. They have also undertaken several concert tours in the Czech Republic and the United States, including a prestigious recital at Embassy of the Czech Republic in Washington, D. C. and acclaimed performances at international festivals including Forfest, New Music Encountres, Krumlov Autumn Recitals and American Spring.
Katelyn Bouska & Stepan Filipek. Photo Credit © Julian Veverica
Cellist and composer Štěpán Filípek (* 1981) is one of the progressive Czech artists with an international renown. Filipek's recent artistic highlights include performances of the LUDICRA project as part of the Moravian Autumn Festival, release of the album 9 containing works by nine Czech woman composers, or performance of prestigious recital in Kyiv organized by the festival New Music in Ukraine. He graduated Cello at the Prague Conservatory and at the Janacek Academy of Music and performing Arts in Brno. He later studied Composition at the Brno Conservatory and JAMU. As a chamber musician, Štěpán Filípek has in recent years participated in the formation of several ensembles, such as Trio Euterpé, Tango Quartetto Re Campo, or Bačová/Veverica/Filípek. He also regularly performs in a duo with pianists Sára Medková and Katelyn Bouska. In addition, he is collaborating with Czech Radio on documentation of contemporary works for cello. He has performed as a soloist with several orchestras and choirs, such as Pilsen Philharmonic, Moravian Philharmonic Olomouc, Brno Contemporary Orchestra, Gaudeamus Brno choir or Vox Iuvenalis choir etc. Many music festivals invited Štěpán Filípek as a soloist or chamber musician, or commisioned him composition: Janáček Brno, Forfest, Hudební současnost, Meeting of New Music, Melos-Éthos, Exposition of New Music and more. Some personalities of the classical music world dedicated their works to Filipek - František Emmert, Radomír Ištvan, Jana Vöröšová, David Carpenter, Barry Wan, Daniel Kessner etc. Štěpán performs his concerts with a master cello called "Imperio" built by the Brno luthier Jan Hus Bursík in 2006.
With interpretations described as “full of life, flexibility, gripping rhythms and a richness of dynamic shadings” (Milan Bátor, Czech Radio) and a skill at engaging audiences in the musical dialogue, Katelyn Bouska (*1985) is a frequent solo and collaborative musician. Her unique programming combining rarely-heard Czech and American music with music being written specifically for her by rising composers has found an audience throughout America and on the international concert stage. Katelyn received a DMA from Temple University in Philadelphia, where her research centered on the piano music of 20th-Century Brno composer Miloslav Ištvan. She recently published a recording of his complete works for solo piano on the Radioservis label. In addition to her doctorate, she also holds graduate degrees in historical keyboard performance and collaborative piano. Katelyn is currently based in Philadelphia where she serves on the Music Studies Faculty at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. Her commitment for informed and personal musical expression extends beyond her piano studio into seminars on performance practice, continuo and period repertoire, and classes exploring theory and harmony as a tool to unlock the grammar of music.
