It has become a tradition for the Prague Orthodox music festival Archaion Kallos to provide space also for young contemporary composers. This (8th) year, it was Martin Klusák (*1987) and Jan Trojan (*1982).
Their pieces, Pnoi for solo clarinet and video projection (Klusák) and Refractions – sound interventions (Trojan), were performed on October 22 at the Gallery of the Academy of Performing Arts by the leading Czech clarinettist Karel Dohnal and pianist Andrea Mottlová (b. Vavrušová). Both compositions drew inspiration from Hesychasm as one of the key concepts of the Orthodox spirituality referring to, both physical and mental, inner peace. Hesychasm had a significance influence on the music of Arvo Pärt, too; that is why three of his pieces were on the programme, together with music by Petros Peloponnesios, Valentin Silvestrov and the festival’s director Marios Christou.
22 October, Gallery, Academy of the Performing Arts, Prague
Archaion Kallos
Martin Klusák: Pnoi (world premiere)
Jan Trojan: Refractions – sound interventions (world premiere)
Karel Dohnal – clarinet, Andrea Mottlová – piano