Czech Symphony Orchestra February 17, 2009

Presented by BCCA.

Spend an evening with The Czech Symphony Orchestra at the Rabobank Theater. Join the Bakersfield Community Concert Association as this extraordinary orchestra of 67 musicians brings the music of the Czech Republic to Bakersfield.

The US tour includes a concert at the University of Notre Dame at South Bend. The Orchestra also visits the California cities of Fresno and Sacramento.

The Czech Symphony Orchestra (also known as The Janacek Philharmonic Orchestra of Ostrava) was established in 1954 and arose from the Czech Radio Orchestra. In a short time it became one of the foremost symphony orchestras in the country. Since its first tour abroad in 1958, The Czech Symphony Orchestra has visited most of Europe, the U.S., Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. Many significant Czech and foreign guest artists have performed with the Orchestra, including Václav Neumann, Václav Smetáèek, Jiøí Bìlohlávek, Libor Pešek, Zdenìk Mácal, Charles Mackerras, Arvid Jansons, Vladimír Fedosejev, Serge Baudo, Roberto Benzi, Helmut Rilling and others. Other important instrumentalists who have performed with the Orchestra include Ivan Moravec, Josef Suk, Václav Hudeèek, Lazar Berman, André Navarro, János Starker, Rudolf Kerer, and Mistaslav Rostropovich and Gidon Kremer as well as vocalists are Placido Domingo, José Carreras, Montserrat Caballé, Katja Ricciarelli, Eva Urbanová, Dagmar Pecková, and Gaetana Bardini.

The Czech Symphony Orchestra is renowned for its performances of the works of Janáèek and other significant Czech composers such as Dvorák, Smetana and Martinù, however the Orchestra’s repertoire goes far beyond the works of Czech composers, and includes, to name a few, the works of Beethoven, Mozart, Schubert, R. Strauss, Reger, Szymanowski, Schumann, Bruch, and Bruckner. The Czech Symphony Orchestra has also recorded for a number of labels including Panton, Rosa, Direkt, Centaur, Naxos, Palatina, and Brilliant Classics for which they just recorded six CD’s of works by Nielsen and Dvorak. Their next recording project which will be for the Brilliant Classics label will be a three-cd box set of the complete works of Smetana.

This concert puts Bakersfield on the international map! Check out Maestro Kuchar's "other" orchestra, the Czech Symphony Orchestra (The Janáček Philharmonic of Ostrava, Czech Republic) as it wraps up its celebrated American Tour.

These acclaimed musicians and Maestro Kuchar bring music from Czech composers Smetana and Dvořák, and are joined by pianist Derek Han. Don't miss this rare opportunity to hear a leading international orchestra right here in Bakersfield!

"You simply won't hear a finer performance anywhere." - classicstoday.com

Call (661) 589-2478 for info.

Official Website: http://geocities.com/communityconcert