Tomas Visek

Tomas Visek (1957) started to play the piano at eight years of age at the musical school under professor Pavel Svoboda. During the years of 1972-1976 studied at the Prague Conservatory under professor Valentina Kamenikova and then later under professor Zdenek Kozina. During the years of 1976-1984 studied at AMU (Academy of Arts) in Prague at first under professor Josef Palenicek and then under professor Zdenek Jilek with whom he continued post-graduate studies in the years of 1990-1993.

tomas visek During his studies he became a many-time laureate in domestic competitions (Usti nad Labem, Hradec Kralove, Marianske Lazne). In international events he acquired awards in Chopin competition in Warsaw, 1975 ( Janina Nawrocka special prize), Smetana competition in Hradec Kralove, 1978 (IInd prize plus an award for Smetana interpretation). During the nineties this success was followed by the Second Prize that he won in international competitions in Vienna (1992) and in Sicilian Ragusa (1994), and in 1995 he won the Fifth Prize in the Concours Milosz Magin in Paris.

He performed in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Egypt, Japan, Hungary, Russia, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Germany, France, Holland, Italy, Switzerland and Austria (he repeatedly gave performances in the Vienna Musikverein, as soloist in the Grieg's Piano Concerto). Radio France arranged a separate recital for him. Visek recorded also for Czech and Polish Radio, Czech television (the cycle "Top of Classics") and on CD records. His piano recital in international festival Prague Spring in May 1997 was highly responded, as well as his performances there in 2002, 2003 and 2005); other successes - the unique festival "Music of extended duration" on Prague Castle (work of J. Cage) and the festival "Musica Iudaica" with the work of Jewish composers (Gershwin, Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, E.|W. Korngold, etc.) in 1997, several times performance of Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue with orch. in the Dvorak Hall of Prague Rudolfinum in 1998, St. Wenceslas Festival in 2003 etc.

Interview with Tomas Visek - Czech Music 2/98

"Visek is an explosive type of an artist who is always fully absorbed in the play. It is almost with an obsession and devilish attitude he is enjoying every twist turn in the plot of the play with the unique touch he moves it into convincing levels with deep absorption. He is unveiling various secret of the manuscript and he has proved to keep the audience in suspence for a long duration."

Hudebni rozhledy (music magazine))

Recordings

Repertoire

J.S.Bach - English Suite No. 2, French Suites No. 3 and 5, Partita No. 6, Italian Concerto, Toccatas No. 1 and 7, Vier Duette, Chromatic phantasy and fugue, Preludes and fugues (selection)
J.S.Bach-F.Busoni - Prelude and Fugue in D major
B. Bartok - 2 Rumanian Dances op 8a, Suite op. 14, Sonata, Rumanian Christmas Carols etc.
A.Berg - Sonata op. 1
J. Brahms - Rhapsodies op. 79
L.v. Beethoven - Sonatas op. 10/3, 13, 14/2, 27/2, 31/3, 49/2, 57, 78, 90, 111
F. Chopin - Etudes, Preludes, Valses, Mazurkas, Nocturnes, Polonaises (selection); Scherzos, Sonatas No. 2-3, Barcarolle, Bolero, Phantasy op. 49 etc.
C. Debussy - Children's corner, Preludes (selection), Images I, L´isle joyeuse
G. Franck - Prelude, Choral and Fugue
G. Gershwin - Preludes, Songs (selection)
J. Haydn - Sonata in E flat major
E.W.Korngold - Sonata No. 3
F. Liszt - Sonata in B minor, Funerailles, "Hussiten-Lied" (concert paraphrase), Venezia e Napoli, Sonetti di Petrarca, Valse oubliee No. 1, Etudes (selection), Hungarian rhapsodies No. 2 and 9, Deux Legendes, Les jeux d´eaux, Sursum corda etc.
M. Magin - Triptyque polonais; Sonata No. 2
F. Mendelssohn-Bartholdy - Sonata No. 1
O. Messiaen - Fantaisie burlesque
W.A.Mozart - Sonatas KV 279, 331, 332, 333, 545, 570, 576
M. P. Mussorgsky - Pictures at an Exhibition
I. Paderewski - selection of 6 works (incl. Menuet in G major)
J.F. Perrenoud - Gravitation op. 38, Magnitude op. 52
S. Prokofiev - Sonatas No. 4, 5, 7
M. Ravel - Jeux d'eau
A. Roussel - Sonatine op. 16
F. Schubert - Impromptus op. 90, Sonata in B flat major op. posth.
D. Scarlatti - Sonatas (selection)

Cl. Schumann - 3 Romances op. 21
R. Schumann - Phantasiestücke op. 12; Faschingsschwank op. 26, Forest Scenes op. 82 etc.
D. Shostakovich - Preludes and Fugues (selection), Three Fantastic Dances op. 1
I.Stravinsky - Piano Rag-Music
A. Tansman - Sonatine transatlantique
C.M.Weber - Sonata No. 2, Invitation to dance, Momento capriccioso, Polonaise brillante op. 72

Czech music
K. Bendl - Lullaby, Intermezzo, Serenade, etc.
J.L. Dussek - 12 etudes melodiques (select.)
A. Dvorak - Silhouettes op. 8 (select.), Suite op. 98, Poetic Tone-Pictures (select.), Waltz in A major, Humoresque etc.
Z. Fibich - From the Mountains (cycle); Moods, Impressions and Souvenirs (select. - including Poeme), Studies of Painters op. 56
J. B. Foerster - Dreaming (cycle)
A. Haba - Piano pieces (in half-tone system) op. 1b, 2, 6, 38, 39, 102
L. Janacek - Sonata "1.X.1905"; On an overgrown path

J. Jezek - Bagatelles, Etude, Petite Suite, Rhapsody, Grande Valse brillante, Bugatti Step etc.
V. Kapralova - April preludes
G. Klein - Sonata
M. Kocab - Sonata
M. Kubicka - Variations on a Children's Song
B. Martinu - 3 Czech dances, 8 Preludes (cycles), Etudes and polkas (selection), Le Noel, The Butterflies and Birds of Paradise etc.
Z. Mateju - Self-portrait
V. Novak - Songs of Winter Nights, My May
J. Palenicek - Piano sketches (cycle)
K. Reiner - Three compositions
E. Schulhoff - Partita, 5 Pittoresken, Esquisses de jazz, Hot-musik, 5 etudes de jazz, Suite dansante en jazz, Sonatas No. 1-3, Suites No. 2-3; Musik op. 35, etc.

V. Smetacek - Mood-Pictures
B. Smetana - Reves (cycle), Phantasy on Czech folk songs, 3 Polkas de Salon op. 7, Concert etude in C major, Concert etude "At the seaside", Souvenir de Boheme op. 12, Scherzo-polka
J. Suk - Piano composions op. 7 (cycle - incl. Chant d'amour), Spring op.22a, Summer Impressions op. 22b, Village Serenade, etc.
O. Sukova-Dvorakova - On the horseback, Lullaby, Humoresque
V. J. Tomasek - Eglogues (selection), Tre ditirambi op.65

P. Trojan - Sonatine, Spring Prelude
V. Ullmann - Sonata No. 6

D. C. Vackar - Spring Suite
J. Vrestal - Palette
L. Vycpalek - Sursum corda op. 30

Repertoire with work of Jewish composers
G. Gershwin - Three Preludes; Songs (selection)
G. Klein - Sonata
E. W. Korngold - Sonata No. 3
F. Mendelssohn-Bartoldy - Sonata No. 1 E major, op. 6
P. Pokorny - Evenings below the lamp (yes also waltz)
K. Reiner - Three compositions for piano
E. Schulhoff - Jazz inspired music (Partita, 5 etudes de jazz, Hot-Musik, Suite dansante en jazz, Esquisses de jazz), Music for piano, op. 35 , Sonatas No. 1-3 , Suites No. 2, 3
A. Tansman - Sonatine transatlantique
E. Toch - Der Jongleur, op. 31, No. 3
V. Ullmann - Sixth sonata, op. 44

piano and orchestra

L. v. Beethoven - Concerto No. 1, Concerto No. 5, Choir-Phantasie op.80
J. F. Fischer - Concerto semplice
C. Franck - Les Djinns
G. Gershwin - Rhapsody in Blue
E. Grieg - Concerto in A minor
J. Haydn - Concerto in D major
F. Chopin - Concerto in E minor; Andante spianato and polonaise op. 22
P. Kofron - E.S.T. (Piano Concerto)
I. Kurz - Concertino
F. Liszt - Concerto in A major
O. Messiaen - Oiseaux exotiques
W. A. Mozart - Concerto in D minor KV 466, Concerto in A major KV 488, Concerto in E flat major KV 449
V. Novak - Concerto
J.F. Perrenoud - Concerto No. 2 "Outreterre"
C. Saint-Saens - Carnaval des animaux
V. Saudek - Concerto "In Memory of Gideon Klein"
R. Schumann - Concerto in A minor
D. Shostakovich - Concerto No. 2

P. Trojan - Concerto

Recordings

solo piano and with orchestra

Ervin Schulhoff Jazz inspired piano works MP3
(5 Pittoresken op. 31, Partita, 5 Etudes de jazz, Hot music, Suite dansante en jazz)
CD Supraphon 11 1870-2 131

Ervin Schulhoff Sonatas and Suites for piano
CD Supraphon 112172-2131

Ervin Schulhoff Piano Cycles 1919 - 39
(Esquisses de Jazz, Ostinato, Musik für klavier, 11 Inventionen, 10 klavierstücte, Studies)
CD Supraphon 112171-2131

Vojtech Saudek Piano concerto "In Memory of Gideon Klein"
Brno State Philharmonic Orchestra/ F. Babicky
CD Panton 81 1012-2031

Enregistrement du concert de ler Concours International de Musique de Vienne 1992
W. A. Mozart Sonata in F major, KV 332; F. Chopin Scherzo in C sharp minor, op. 39
J.-F. Perrenoud Gravitation op. 38; G. Klein Sonata
MC Collection Perrenoud CP/92K-1

Alois Haba Piano works
(Deux morceaux op. 2, Six compositions op. 6, Toccata op. 38, Vier moderne Tanze op. 39, Six moods op. 102 etc.)
CD Supraphon SU3146-2131

300 Years with Piano
Z.Fibich - Moods, Impressions and Reminiscences - selection
CD HAMU HF 0005-2131

Josef Suk's Piano
Piano compositions by Josef Suk, Otilie Sukova-Dvorakova and ing.Josef Suk recorded on the original Suk's instrument in Krecovice
CD Arco Diva UP 0025-2131

Rozezni mne laskou.../ Suonami l'amore
Josef Suk - Love Song, Idylls, Capriccietto
Karel Bendl - Lullaby, May, Intermezzo, Serenade, Love Scene
Zdenek Fibich - Poem
Antonin Dvorak - In an Old Castle
Vitezslav Novak - Songs of Winter Nights
CD Tomas Visek TV 0001-1154

Srdce na Vysocine (The Heart in Vysocina)
Bohuslav Martinu - Opening the Wells; Adagio
Vítezslav Novák - May
Václav Kaprál - Nocturne (concert-etude)
Jaroslav Kricka - Joyful Pieces op. 13 (select.)
Václav Kaprál - Grotesque Passacaglia
Otakar Šín - Amoroso
Jaroslav Ježek - When I bounded the bunch of flowers
Tomáš Víšek (piano) and guests
CD Tomáš Víšek TV 0002-2254

Antonin Dvorak for (young) pianists

37 Dvorak´s piano compositions - including the most famous pieces (Humoresque, Waltz in A major, Serenade, Silhouette in A major), five world premiere recordings (Theme, Legend, Presto in E flat major, Presto in E minor, "Forget-Me-Not" Polka), three finished fragments, the first and the last piano composition and many others (Poetic Tone-Pictures, Silhouettes, Album Leaves etc.)

CD Rosa Classic RD 1318

The complete sheet-music from this CD should be available during the season 2005/2006. We will inform.

Bugatti Step - The Piano of Jaroslav Ježek

Three Policemen Step, Isabel Valse, Grande Valse brillante, Etude, Petite Suite, Rhapsody, Bagatelles, Dance of the Marionette, Spring Wind, Bugatti Step (recorded at the original Jezek´s instrument)

CD Studio Matouš MK 0055-2131

Home Address:
Tomas Visek
byt c.36
28. pluku 12/128
101 00 Praha 10 - Vrsovice, Czech Republic
tel: +420-2-72742643, mobile: +420-603-574581, e-mail: tomas.visek@centrum.cz