Emil Viklicky was born on the 23rd November 1948 in Olomouc, where in 1971 he graduated from the Palacky University in mathematics. Whilst a student he devoted much time to playing jazz piano. In 1974 he was awarded the prize for best soloist at the Czechoslovak Amateur Jazz Festival, and in that same year he became a member of Karel Velebny's SHQ ensemble. In 1976 he was a prizewinner at the jazz improvisation competition in Lyon and his composition Green Satin (Zeleny saten) earned him first prize in the music conservatory competition in Monaco, where in 1985 his Cacharel won second prize in the same competition. In 1977 he was awarded a year's scholarship to study composition and arrangement with Herb Pomeroy at the jazz school of the Berklee College of Music in Boston. He then continued his composition studies with Jarmo Sermila, George Crumb and Vaclav Kucera. Since his return to Prague he has been directing his own ensembles (primarily quartets and quintets), composing and arranging music and - since the death of Karel Velebny - working as director of the Summer Jazz Workshops in Frydlant. He has also lectured at a similar workshop event in Glamorgan, Wales. Between 1991 and 1995 Viklicky was President of the Czech Jazz Society, and since 1994 he has worked with the Ad lib Moravia ensemble, whose performances combine elements of Moravian folk music, modern jazz and contemporary serious music. In 1996 the ensemble undertook a highly successful concert tour of Mexico and the United States.

As pianist Viklicky often performs in international ensembles alongside musicians from the USA and other European countries - with the Lou Blackburn International Quartet and the Benny Bailey Quintet, for example, and with multi-instrumentalist Scott Robinson. He has made frequent appearances in Finland (with the Finnczech Quartet and in particular with Jarmo Sermila) and Norway (with the Czech-Norwegian Big Band and Harald Gundhus) and has performed in the USA, Japan, Mexico, Israel, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands (at the North Sea Festival) and elsewhere. The editor of Rolling Stone wrote of Viklicky that "It was a delightful surprise to see such first-class, top-of-the-line jazz in Prague.

As composer Viklicky has attracted attention abroad primarily for having created a synthesis of the expressive elements of modern jazz with the melodicism and tonalities of Moravian folk song that is distinctly individual in contemporary jazz. Besides this, however, he also composes 'straight-ahead' modern jazz as well as chamber and orchestral works that utilize certain elements of the New Music, and at times his music requires a combination of classical and jazz performers. He also composes incidental and film music and has produced scores for several full-length feature films and television series. Throughout the 1990s he has devoted an increasing amount of time to the composition of contemporary classical music for a great variety of instrumental combinations ranging from small chamber ensembles and electronic instruments to symphony orchestras and choruses. Viklicky's work has gained him quite a number of prestigious awards.

See also: www.viklicky.com

E-mail contact

Viklicky himself is a wonderfully lyrical yet robust pianist, his playing packed with dynamic and textural subtleties...
CHRIS PARKER, London, December 22, 1997

Schwann Inside Jazz&Classical, April 2001/ Calvin Wilson/:
 "Emil Viklicky 's  introspective musings might remind you of Keith Jarrett or Brad Mehldau.., CD Morava is promissing arrival at new creative plateau"

 Los Angeles Times, Sunday, March 25, 2001 /Don Heckman/:
"Emil Viklicky plays Bill Evans inspired piano... 'Myjava', 'Slunecko sa nizi' a 'Touha' are masterfull examples of world-class jazz artistry"

www.rootsworld.com/reviews/mraz.shtml
 "this music is given a definite jazz spin by Viklicky´s outstanding arrangements/ by Joe Grossman

Perhaps the greatest revelation to me was the piano work of Emil Viklicky, whose command of the bop tradition pulls the traditional selections into a new world.
© 2001 - Shaun Dale

The program did have its share of happy marriages. Emil Viklicky cloaked the writings of Vaclav Havel in two distinctly different garments: a slinky,
flirtatious raiment to accompany an early work and a gray, bluesy fleece that provided a huddling place for a prison letter afforded a witty reading
by Mario Van Peebles.
 /David Sprague- VARIETY, Oct.29,2004/

 

“One of the best contemporary pianists, Emil Viklicky´s soloing and comping, his touch, voicings and intervals have a good deal in common with

fleet, tasteful pianists like Tommy Flanagan, Jimmy Rowles and Bill Charlap."
 Doug Ramsey, Jazz Times, December 2004

 http://www.jazztimes.com/reviews/cd_reviews/detail.cfm?article_id=15217

 

Emil Viklicky is one of those European jazz pianists who successfully incorporated elements of his indigenous folk culture into jazz.

Euan Dixon 2005

Combine elements of Bud Powell and Oscar Peterson with a deep infusion of Moravian soul, and you have Emil Viklicky, the patriarch of Czech jazz piano. /Jack Massarik, Evening Standart, London, June 5th, 2006/

"Emil Viklicky Trio has the same collective energy as Esbjorn Svenson Trio, though without electronics and rock input."

John Fordham /Guardian, London, September 13, 2006

 http://arts.guardian.co.uk/reviews/story/0,,1871283,00.html#article_continue

 

 

PRIZES AND AWARDS   

CLASSICAL MUSIC WORKS

 

PRINCIPAL FULL-LENGTH FILM SCORES

MUSIC FOR TELEVISION

MUSIC FOR THEATRE

SELECTED DISCOGRAPHY

  1. The Window (Okno) and The Door (Dvere), the Emil Viklicky Quartet with Bill Frisell
    [LP Supraphon 1980 and 1985, reissued on CD Bonton 1997 7105402]
  2. Confluence, Jarmo Sermila and Emil Viklicky
    [LP Jasemusiikki Finland 1983 jase0004 , reissued on CD 1995]
  3. Together (Spolu), Viklicky in a piano duet with James Williams
    [LP Supraphon 1981, reissued on CD 1996 SU50712511]
  4. Homage to Joan Miro, the Emil Viklicky Quartet and the Talich Quartet
    [LP Supraphon 1988 1101801531, reissued on CD 1989 1107632531]
  5. Beyond the Mountains (Za horama, za dolama), the Emil Viklicky Trio
    [LP Supraphon 1990, CD Supraphon 1108622531]
  6. While my Lady Sleeps... the Benny Bailey Quintet
    [CD Gemini Records 1990 GMCD 0069]
  7. 'Round Midnight, the Emil Viklicky Quartet
    [CD Arta 1991 F100202511]
  8. Last Conection from Niirasaki Emil Viklicky and Alex Svamberk with Lucie Bila
    [CD Monitor/EMI Records 1995 6600912331]
  9. Fast Falls the Rain (Prsi dest), Ad lib Moravia
    [CD Lotos 1994 LT00142531]
  10. Food of Love, the Emil Viklicky Quartet
    [CD Melantrich 1995 MCD0142, Lotos 1998 LT00612531]
  11. Lacrimosa (soundtrack from the film Ma je pomsta)
    [CD Popron 1995 540922]
  12. Homage to Josip Plecnik (Pocta Josipu Plecnikovi) Real Audio File
    [CD Lotos 1996, LT00362131], with Magdalena Kozena – mezzosoprano, reedition Lotos 2004.
  13. UV Drive, Emil Viklicky with Boris Urbanek
    [CD Arta 1997 F100812]
  14. Bohemia after dark, Emil Viklicky with S.Houben, P.Dvorsky and L.Tropp
    [CD PJ Music 1997 PJ0122]
  15. Duets, Emil Viklicky with A.Wardell, G.Hopkins, G.Ittzes, E.Marienthal and J.Nicholas
    [CD Lotos 1998 LT00552131]
  16. Neuro, Emil Viklicky with Jarmo Sermila, Alex Svamberk and Miroslav Posejpal
    [CD Gallup Music 1998 0152]
  17. Docela vsedni obycejny den, Emil Viklicky with F.Uhlir, P.Dvorsky, L.Tropp, R.Pokorny, E.Rattay
    [CD Lotos 1998 LT00712531]
  18. Moravian Love Songs, Zuzana Lapcikova with E.Viklicky, P.Ruzicka, PP members, Vcelaran
    [CD Lotos 1999 LT00722431]
  19. An American in Prague, Benny Golbin with E.Viklicky
    [CD ClearWater 2000 CW001]
  20. Morava, George Mraz, Billy Hart, Zuzana Lapcikova, Emil Viklicky
    [CD Fantasy / Milestone 2001 MCD-9309-2]
  21. Live in Rudolfinum, solo piano
    [CD PJ Music 2001 PJ 0172]
  22. Lullabies, Zuzana Lapcikova, Emil Viklicky, Petr Ruzicka
    [CD Multisonic 2001 3105332]
  23. Trio '01, Emil Viklicky, Laco Tropp, Frantisek Uhlir
    [CD Arta 2002 F10111]
  24. What´s New,  Emil Viklický Trio + Steve Houben, CD Cube-Métier 2003, MJCD 2317
  25. Summertime, Emil Viklický Trio + Scott Robinson, CD Cube-Metier 2004, MJCD 2422
  26. Moravian Gems, George Mraz, Iva Bittová, Emil Viklicky, Laco Tropp, CD Cube-Métier, MJCD 2736
  27. Marcus Printup + Emil Viklicky Trio, Multisonic 31 0708-2,  C 2007

 


CDs available at CDmusic.cz / Siroky dvur.

 



see also: www.viklicky.com

CONTACT
Czech Music Information Centre

Besedni 3, 118 00, Praha 1, Czech Republic
Tel.: (+420) 257 312 422, 257 313 717
Fax: (+420) 257 317 424, e-mail: his@vol.cz

Contacts to composer:

Emil Viklicky,
Letohradska 36,
170 00 Praha 7,

Czech Republic,
Tel./fax: (+420) 233 379 379

M: +420-724 077 079
e-mail: emil@viklicky.com

Recommended viewing: Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0, Real Audio
Czech Music Information Project © CZMIC 1.11.2007