Vadim Mazo has pursued a career as conductor, soloist and chamber musician. He is professor of violin and viola at Illinois Wesleyan University as well as music director of the University Camerata Chamber Orchestra. Mr. Mazo studied at the Byelorussia State Conservatory in Minsk with Michal Goldstein (disciple of Pyotr Stoliasky) and in the USA with the Fine Arts Quartet. Before immigrating to the United States in 1980, he performed on radio, television, and concert tours in the former Soviet Union with such international artists as O. Kagan, M. Rostropovich, L. Kogan, and M. Shostakovich, among others. Since coming to the USA, Mr. Mazo has held teaching and conducting positions in several music schools in the mid-west, and has continued his career as guest soloist and conductor in Europe and the USA. With the strong belief that music is an international language that crosses all borders, Mr. Mazo founded the AMEROPA Musical Arts Festival in 1993, an organization dedicated to the collaboration of American and European chamber musicians and ensembles. The fact that Mr. Mazo has selected Prague with its central location in Europe and rich musical heritage to be the venue for such projects, greatly enhances the harmony and understanding pervading this unique form of art experience. Vadim Mazo has collaborated with the Suk Chamber Orchestra in the Prague Spring Festival and Virtuosi di Praga.

David Ehrlich was raised in Israel, where he studied violin with the famous Ilona Feher. He started concretizing at the age of 8, and soon became the recipient of an annual scholarship awarded by the America-Israel Cultural Foundation. While studying in Tel Aviv University he served as concertmaster and soloist with the Tel Aviv Chamber Orchestra and toured as guest soloist with other Israeli chamber orchestras. In 1972 he moved to the United States to study with Shmuel Ashkenasi at Northern Illinois University. In 1975 he became the first non-American to win first prize in the Young Artist Competition of the National Federation of Music Clubs. This resulted in appearances in concerts and recitals throughout the United States, as well as engagements on radio and television. Mr. Ehrlich served as concertmaster and soloist of the Colorado Festival Orchestra, Chicago Philharmonic Orchestra, Filarmonica de Caracas, and for several seasons was acting concertmaster and associate concertmaster, as well as soloist, with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. In 1984 he joined the Audubon String Quartet as first violinist, a position he held for 17 years. With the quartet, Mr. Ehrlich toured all over the world, performing on many of the most prestigious series and appearing regularly on radio and television, including WFMT, WQXR, BBC, CBC and NPR. Mr. Ehrlich conducted master classes/ lectures at New England Conservatory, Oberlin, Cleveland Institute of Music, Chautauqua-NY, USC, Arizona State University, Tel Aviv University, Ireland, Venezuela, and many others. He has recorded on RCA, Telarc and Centaur labels. In 1993, he and his wife, Teresa, founded the Renaissance Music Academy of Virginia, a non-profit community music school located in Blacksburg, Virginia. He is a member of the violin faculty and conducts the youth chamber orchestra. Mr. Ehrlich plays on a rare violin by Carlo Bergonzi circa 1735 through the generosity of Virginia Tech University, where he is a Fellow of Fine Arts. Since 2001 David has been Artistic director as well as performer with Musica Viva! Chamber music concert series. He is a founding member of the Avanti Ensemble.

Due to his extensive artistic activity Ivan Zenaty has acquired a leading position among Czech violinists. During his studies at the Prague Conservatory he has made his debut with the Czech Philharmonics, in 1982 he got to the final of the International P.I. Tschaykowski Violin Competition in Moscow, in 1987 he was a sovereign winner of the International Prague Spring Violin Competition. Ivan Zenaty was awarded the title Laureate of the International Tribune of Young Performers UNESCO (1989) and the main prize of the Ruggiero Ricci international master-classes in Berlin (1990) which resulted in his engagement as a soloist of the Berliner Symphoniker. The unmistakable artistic expression of Ivan Zenaty was influenced by several significant personalities such as Nathan Milstein, Andre Gertler and Igor Bezrodny (master-classes in Zurich and Weimar). Since 1988 he has been collaborating in private tutorage with Josef Suk with whom he often performs on international festivals.
After these successes Ivan Zenaty was appointed a permanent soloist of the Prague Symphonics, the Czech Radio Orchestra and he has realised an European tour with the Czech Philharmonics. He performed with Yehudi Menuhin, Yo-Yo Ma, Serge Baudo, Neville Marriner and many others. He appeared in Berliner Philharmonie, Queen Elisabeth Hall, Barbican and Wigmore Halls (London), Metropolitan Hall (Tokyo), Concertgebouw (Amsterdam), Auditorio (Madrid), King David Hall (Jerusalem), Queen´s Hall (Edinburgh), Ford Center (Toronto), Teatro Colon (Buenos Aires) and numerous other famous venues.v Since 1996 Ivan Zenaty has been professor at the Music Academy in Dresden.
His repertoire is unusually wide including about fifty orchestral concertos of all music styles. In his current recording activity he concentrates mainly on complete works of great composers. At the present time he co-operates with the Dorian recording company (New York).
Ivan Zenaty plays a famous instrument Prince of Orange made in 1743 by Italian master Giuseppe Antonio Guarnieri del Gesu.
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Violinist John Lindsey holds the State University of New York’s highest rank, the prestigious SUNY Distinguished Service Professorship, awarded in 2009. Previously he was awarded the 1993 SUNY Potsdam President’s Award and the 2003 SUNY Chancellor’s Award, both for Excellence in Teaching. He has been a member of the violin faculty of the Crane School of Music since 1981. John is the Concertmaster of both the Orchestra of Northern New York and the Eleva (VT) Chamber Players. He is the first violinist of the Aurora String Quintet and is the violinist of the Potsdam Piano Quartet and the Potsdam Baroque Chamber Players. In 1989, he was selected from over 200 applicants as the winner of the City of Dayton’s 2nd annual Allegro Residency for the Arts in Dayton, Ohio. In the summer, Mr. Lindsey performs at the Ameropa Festival in Prague (CZ), the Woodstock (VT) Mozart Festival, and the renowned Interlochen Adult Chamber Music Camp in Michigan. He has been been on the faculty of the Canna (Italy) Festival, the Stage de Musique in Marcillat-en-Combraille, (France), and the International Chamber Music Festival and Tour 2008 in Bulgaria. Along with his wife Amornrat, he is the founder of the Thailand Chamber Music Festival, which takes place annually during the Winter Holidays.

Ada Slivanská is a graduate of Prague’s Conservatoire where she studied violin and composition, and of the Charles University School of Liberal Arts where she read musicology. Even during her studies she established a chamber ensemble named Quartetto con flauto with which she has cut three compact discs and has appeared on many domestic and foreign stages (Spain, Germany, Poland, Belgium, Italy, USA, Japan). Following her graduation and a one year stint with the Central Bohemia Symphonic Orchestra at Poděbrady she joined the Czech Radio Symphonic Orchestra with which she remained until 1999 and several years she was member of Prague’s State Opera Orchestra. Since 1989 she has also been pursuing managerial and production activities. This is why at present – apart from performing as solo and chamber orchestra player, she was associate pedagogue and adviser conductor of the International Madrid’s Boccherini Festival 2005, Moz-artissimo 2006 and 2007 “ChamberArt” and is also manager of several soloists and chamber ensembles. She is the co-organizer of the Ameropa International Music Festival and Chamber Courses as well as the The Prague Horn International Music Festival, Podblanický hudební podzim in which she also participates as performer. Since 2007 she is artistic director of "Terezin International Music Centre" (TIMUC) in Czech Republic. Thanks to her wide range organizational experience she distinctly contributed to the forming of the Camerata filarmonica Bohemia chamber orchestra and presently she works as orchestra manager since its founding in 2002.

Karel Špelina is former principal viola with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra where he had been a member since 1970. Mr. Špelina has also been an active soloist and chamber instrumentalist. He is a member of chamber groups such as the Pilsen Radio Quartet (1962 - 1970), the Ars Rediviva Ensemble (since 1970) and the Martinů Piano Quartet (since 1978). In addition, he performs as guest violist with other chamber ensembles. Mr. Špelina has appeared as soloist with the Czech Philharmonic, Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra, Prague Chamber Orchestra and the Brno State Philharmonic Orchestra. His repertoire is extensive and he embraces the key works for viola from the 18th to 20th centuries, including a large number of contemporary works, many of which have been composed for him. He has made a number of recordings for radio broadcast and numerous other record companies. Mr. Špelina teaches viola and chamber music at the Prague Conservatory and the Sándor Végh International Chamber Music Academy.

Nancy Buck is Associate Professor of Viola at Arizona State University, where she also serves as Coordinator of the String Chamber Music Program. She holds degrees in performance from the Oberlin Conservatory and the Cleveland Institute of Music. While at the Cleveland Institute of Music, she served as teaching assistant to Heidi Castleman. Prior to her appointment at ASU, Buck served as Associate Professor of Viola and Assistant Chair of the Department of Music Performance Studies at Bowling Green State University. Much in demand as a chamber musician and artistic collaborator, Buck has presented recitals in leading concert venues throughout the United States and Europe. Along with violinist Jonathan Swartz, cellist Thomas Landschoot, and pianist Laura Melton, she is a founding member of the Phoenix Piano Quartet. Buck has also shared the stage with such chamber music groups as the Felici Quartet, the St. Lawrence String Quartet, and the Blakemore Trio. Additionally, she has appeared in concert with the Red Rocks Chamber Music Festival, Aspen Music Festival, Sarasota Music Festival, Strings in the Mountains Music Festival, Schleswig Holstein Music Festival, and Rocky Mountain Summer Conservatory, where she maintains an artist faculty position during the summer. Consistently acclaimed by colleagues and peers as an extraordinarily insightful studio teacher and chamber music coach, Buck is regularly invited to present master classes throughout the country, including appearances at the Idyllwild Arts Academy, Interlochen Arts Academy, Oberlin Conservatory, San Domenico School Virtuoso Program, University of Iowa, University of Georgia, University of Michigan, SUNY Fredonia, Baldwin Wallace Conservatory, Arizona All-State Orchestra, Ohio All-State Orchestra, Phoenix Symphony Guild Youth Orchestra, Columbus Youth Orchestra, National Orchestra Festival, and the 2008 ASTA National Conference in Albuquerque. Additionally, she is frequently invited to present educational sessions at ASTA National Conferences, including recent events in Reno (2005), Kansas City (2006), and Detroit (2007). Ms. Buck recently hosted the 36th International Viola Congress, held at Arizona State University.

Jiří Poslední (born in Prague) studied viola at the Prague Conservatory in the class of Professor J. Zíka (member of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra) and graduated in 1987. During his studies he had already very strong affection for chamber music, which he studied under the guidance of Professors Viktor Moučka and Josef Vlach, members of the famous Vlach Quartet. In the years 1989-1997 he was a member of the Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra since 1997 has been a member of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. Jiří Poslední has performed both in the Czech Republic and around the world as an orchestra player, as well as a chamber musician. For several years, he was a member of the Johannesberg Quartet and Joseph Trio. He is a member of the Czech Philharmonic Quartet, founded in 2000 under the name Philharmonic Quartet Prague; the latter, presented by the London agency Connaught Artists Management, performed with a great success in many European countries.

Jitka Vlašánková began to play cello at the age of seven and, in 1975, won her first prize in the national competition of the Music Schools. Later, she attended the Conservatory and the Academy of Music in Prague under Professors R.Lojda, A.Večtomov and Miloš Sádlo. She took part in international courses under outstanding world-famous cellist (e.g. A.Navarra, E.Rautio or B.Greenhouse and R.Garbousova at the Piatigorski Seminar in Los Angeles) and was granted a British Council scholarship to study under W.Pleeth in London. During her studies she participated in several national and international competitions e.g.: 1981 – 1st prize in National Beethoven Cello Competition; 1983 – 3rd prize in the Prague Spring International Cello Competition; 1985 – a prize for the best performance of D.Popper’s composition in the Pablo Casals International Competition in Budapest. Since 1986, she has been a member of the Martinů String Quartet, a world renown chamber ensemble. (They regularly appear with leading instrumentalists, among others with Colin Carr). Their discography includes a considerable number of recordings for the ArcoDiva, Naxos, Panton, Studio Matouš, Harmonia Mundi label. Jitka Vlasankova gives solo recitals in her country as well as abroad (Holland, England, Germany), records for the Czech Radio (eg. cellosonatas by Shostakovich, Rachmaninoff, Franck, Chopin). She is a member of the Czech cello duo and the Czech cello trio with Petr Hejny and Jaroslav Kulhan (Panocha Quartet). Since 2000, she has been a professor at the Music gymnasium in Prague. She plays a French cello by Charles François Gand, 1830. Paris.

Graduated at the conservatoire and Music college of Bratislava under prof. Radoslav Šašina. He was a member of chamber orchestra Capella Istropolitana and Musica Aeterna. Also he played in the Simfonica de Galicia in Spain and was the base leader of Moravian Philharmonics. At the present time, he is the leader of the bas group in the State Opera Prague. He performs in the leading chamber ensembles all over Czech Republic and abroad.

Veronica Mascaro, Flutist, began her solo career with the Reading Symphony (Pennsylvania, USA) at age 15 and has performed with other local symphonies in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. She is a member of the Kennett Symphony Orchestra and freelances in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York, adjunct professor of flute and conductor of the Hill Flutes at The Hill School in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. Veronica also performs and records for the National Association of Composers, USA (NACUSA). Her teachers include Kenneth Andrews, Robert Stallman, Jeanne Scheneman, Emily Newbold, MIchel Debost, Kathleen Chastain and Joshua Smith. She has participated in master classes in both the US and Europe. IN 2002, Veronica was awarded the Geoffrey Gilbert Performer's Scholarship and in the spring of 2003, along with pianist Kristin Ditlow, released her first solo recording titled "The Mouquet Collection". Veronica performs with the Mascaro-Newman flute and guitar duo and is the founding member of the Flutes de Amore Quartet as well as The PA Flute Troop. She is past winner of the National Flute Associations Professional Flute Choir and beginning in the summer of 2003, began her relationship with the AMEROPA Chamber Music Festival. In addition to many years of private flute and piccolo instruction in The Flute Studio, Veronica has taught through the University of Penn Music 10 Scholarship Program. Through her studio she conducts and coaches chamber ensembles of all ages. These ensembles perform regularly at recitals, community events and master classes in the Philadelphia and Delaware area. In 2001, the Florida Flute Association honored her successful teaching with a teacher's scholarship.

Jurij Likin, a Czech oboist of Byelorussian origin, studied at the Byelorussian Conservatory in Minsk with legendary professor Boris Nichkov. He later worked with famous french professor and soloist Maurice Bourgue in Paris (1992-1993) and in Prague at the Prague Mozart Academy. He also used to work with Nicholas Daniel, Ives Poucel, Michael Faust, Jess Read, André Cazalet, Wolker Altmann, Hatto Beyerle. He was the solo oboe of the Byelorussian Philharmonic in Minsk, St. Petersburg Symphony, Minsk Chamber Orchestra. A winner of several national and international competitions (Concertino Praga 1984, Baltic republics-Byerorussia-Moldova International Competition 1986, USSR National Competition 1987), Jurij moved to Prague in 1994, first taking up the position of Solo/Principal Oboe in the Prague Philharmonia before accepting the same position in the Prague Symphony Orchestra, a post he holds to date. As a soloist and chamber music player he is invited very often to the music festivals in Europe, Asia and North America. As a member of the Prague Wind Quintet he has won the prestigious annual French critics´ prize Choc 1999 of the “La Monde de la Musique” for the recording of chamber music by Leos Janacek. He is teaching oboe, oboe reed making and oboe repairing master-classes in France, Great Britain, Japan, Russia and USA regularly. Since 2009 Jurij Likin is a professor of oboe at the Janacek Academy of Music and Performing Arts, Brno. Jurij Likin playes Fossati-Paris oboe model 20th Anniversary.

A native of the Czech Republic, Marlen Vavříková graduated from the Janáček Conservatory in Ostrava in 1996, and went on to earn a Master of Music degree in Oboe Performance and Literature from the Eastman School of Music and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she studied with Nancy Ambrose King, Richard Killmer, and Daniel Stolper. Marlen has appeared as soloist with the University of Illinois New Music Ensemble, the Baroque Artists of Champaign-Urbana, and the Janáček Chamber Orchestra and has performed under such conductors as Robert Shaw, Donald Hunsberger, Samuel Adler, Ian Hobson, Peter Bay, Davida Effrona, and Constantine Orbelian. Her playing has received recognition in the Czech Republic and abroad. She was selected as a finalist for the Krannert Debut Artist Award at the University of Illinois and has won competitions of conservatories held in Ostrava and Kromeříž. In 2002 and 2004, she joined the Moscow Chamber Orchestra on its American tour and the Eastman Wind Ensemble on its tour of Japan in 1998. In addition, she has performed at the Sarasota, Hot Springs, Banff, and the Ostrava New Music Days festivals and has taught at the Illinois Summer Youth Music Festival in Urbana-Champaign. As a member of the Gardenia Trio, she gave a recital at the 2002 International Double Reed Society conference in Banff, Canada; and in 2004 she appeared as a soloist at the Society of Electro-Acoustic Music conference in San Diego, California. Besides receiving a stipend from the Czech Musical Fund and travel grants from the Ostrava City Council and the Civic Foundation, Marlen won the Presser Musical Award, the Kate Neal Kinley Musical Fellowship, and the Fellowship for the Creative and Performing Arts at the University of Illinois. Her scholarly work is represented by an interview with Miroslav Hošek (International Double Reed Society Journal, Fall 2003) and an annotated survey of contemporary Moravian oboe works written since 1969. Her upcoming projects include a solo appearance with the Baroque Artists of Champaign-Urbana in spring 2005, and the organization of the Oboe Days in Ostrava in fall 2005 with Richard Killmer, a weeklong festival of concerts and classes that will provide a wonderful venue for exchange between American and Czech styles of oboe performance. Currently, Marlen teaches oboe at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan, where she has appeared as a soloist with the GVSU Chamber Orchestra and the Symphonic Wind Ensemble. As a member of the GVSU Faculty Reed Trio, she has given numerous performances, including a tour through Pennsylvania. This winter she will join the Open Gate ensemble in a series of concerts, culminating at Carnegie Hall. Foto: Dan Merlo

Štěpán Koutník was born into a family of musicians whose musical traditions date back to the close of the 17th century in a direct line to Tomáš Norbert Koutník (1698 - 1775), schoolteacher and choirmaster from Chocen, East Bohemia. As a student at the Prague Conservatory, Štěpán studied under the tutaledge of professor Kostohryz and later at the Academy of Performing Arts with professor Etlík. After successfully competing in a number of national and international clarinet competitions, including competitions in Rome, Markneukirchen, Chomutov, the Prague Spring competition, and Wloszakowice, Mr. Koutnik graduated and eventually studied chamber music in Luxembourg and in Berlin with professor Ewald Koch. In 1982, he took up the post of first clarinetist and soloist of the Prague Film Symphony Orchestra and in 1986 was offered the same post with the prestigious Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra. He would eventually be appointed head of the clarient section for the CRSO. He began teaching at the Academy of Performing Arts in 1990 and is regularly offered teaching assignments abroad including assigments in Orvietto, Italy, the Conservatoire National Superieur de Musique in Paris, the Guildhall School in London and in Osaka, Japan. Apart from his solo and ensemble appearances with the Radio Smyphony Orchestra, Mr. Koutnik has been invited to perform with leading Czech orchestras and as member of various instrumental formations, as well as soloist with a number of orchestras, he has given concerts in Austria, Germany, Poland, Spain, Denmark, Japan, Rumania and Poland. Mr. Koutník´s engagement in the genre of chamber music is a specific feature of his profile. He is a founding member of the Novák Trio of Prague an ensemble who has extensively recorded. Treasury of Music from the Český Krumlov Schwarzenberg Castle Archives, Classic Trios for Winds, Trio-Divertissement and Hot Sonata from Ervín Schulhoff´s collected works are recordings released by the ensemble. While working with composers such as H. Bartoň, J. Feld, I. Hurník, M. Kaňák, J. Krček, P. Kopecký, P. Pokorný. Mr. Koutník has inspired a number of new works for the clarinet. Lukáš has dedicated his clarinet Concerto specifically to Štěpán Koutník, who premired the piece in Prague (October 1999) together with the Martinu Philharmonic of Zlín under the baton of its chief conductor Tomáš Koutník.

Franck Leblois began studying the bassoon at the age of seventeen at the Tours Music Conservatoire, France. After graduating from J-P Laroque’s class at The Superior National Music Conservatoire of Lyon, France, in 1993, he obtained his Certificate in Specialised Chamber Music Studies in the same year. In 1994 he attained the qualification of CA,” Professeur de Basson” (the highest French pedagogical qualification) and went on to win Second Prize at the International Chamber Music Competition of Illzach, France. A member of The Lyric Orchestra of the “Grand Theatre of Tours” from 1984 to 1998, he now devotes himself principally to chamber music in all its forms and collaborates with composers from all over the world in the creation and promotion of new repertoire for his instrument. In 1998, he founded the association «Fou de basson» (Crazy about Bassoon), of which he is still president and through which he organizes international conferences on Bassoon Pedagogy (1996, 1999, 2002, 2005). A resident of the city of Angoulême, France, where he teaches bassoon and chamber music at the Conservatoire Gabriel Fauré (National school of music), Franck Leblois is also in demand as both concert artist and pedagogue in both Europe and the Americas.

Peter Hoefs studies horn with the professors Fritz Huth and Otto Schmitz in Munich, and Philipp Farkas in Bloomington/Indiana. Some years he also studied piano. He played prinzipal horn with the Staatstheater Darmstadt, Muenchner Rundfunkorchester and Staatsoper Stuttgart. Early successful teaching leaded him to teach horn at the Tuebingen Musikschule (where he still holds a regular position), the University Mainz and since more than one decade at the Musikhochschule Stuttgart, where he also teaches Brass Pedagogy.
He is also active in Chamber Music, plays regularly with several orchestras, gives courses in Germany and abroad. He is co-founder of the Sueddeutsche Horntage and has served five years in the Advisory Council of the International Horn Society IHS, where he also is European Coordinator.

In spite of his age, the hornplayer and conductor Ondřej Vrabec (1979) is one of the most seasoned Czech artists. He began his intensive concert career of soloist, chamber and orchestra player long before the threshold of adulthood; in mere 17 years, he sat down for the first time on the first chair of horn section of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra and two years later, he was definitely appointed a solohornplayer of this orchestra. He is a graduate of Prague Conservatoire (horn – prof. B. Tylšar, conducting – prof. V. Válek, H. Farkač, M. Němcová, M. Košler) and of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (conducting - prof. R. Eliška, J. Bělohlávek, F. Vajnar and others). He supplemented his studies with frequent master courses (such as Hornclass, French Academy in Telč), the most precious impuls for forming of his artistic approach was the cooperation with the elite of world wind instrument school (S. Azzolini, M. Bourgue) within S. Végh / B. Martinů Academy and Maurice Bourgue Ensemble. He holds the title of the absolute winner of the competition of conservatories in Ostrava, he has gained several other laureaute titles as a chamber player (Concertino Praga, the competition of the Mozart Society etc.) He has performed in the role of a soloist with tenths of both Czech and foreign orchestras (among others Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Nagoya Philharmonic Orchestra, Sólistes Européenes Luxembourg, Augsburg Philharmonic Orchestra, State Philharmonic Košice, Rzeszow Philharmonic), he also often presents himself to audience with soloist recitals. A great part of his activity includes chamber music (especially Brahms Trio Prague, further e.g. PhilHarmonia octet, Juventus Quintet, Czech Philharmonic Horn Club etc.). He created an extensive sound recordings library for Czech Radio and several gramophone titles. The latest recording – the profile CD of Brahms Trio Prague, realized in a unique manner in their own music and sound directing has gained great responses of critics both at home and abroad. The reviewer of the prestigious American magazine Fanfare termed it the probably best recording of Trio Es Dur, op. 40 of J. Brahms realized so far and he placed in on the Want List – the selection of 5 best world classic CDs of 2008. Ondřej Vrabec stimulated, both in direct and indirect ways, the emergence of many contemporary compositions for various instrumental casts in combination with horn. Most of them are dedicated to him and were usually performed or recorded by him in a world premiere. Also his pedagogic activity has been gaining more and more respect – he leads master courses (Japan, Canada, Czech republic) and he regularly cooperates with the Japanese educational society And Vision Inc. Tokio. Students from various parts of the world have been coming to his private lessons to the Prague Rudolfinum.
The conducting career of Ondřej Vrabec is shorter, but of no less significance and extent. He has conducted many Czech and foreign ensembles (Reykjavik Chamber Orchestra, Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra, State Philharmonic Košice - Slovakia, Galeria Wind Orchestra Tokio, Prague Philharmonia, Prague Chamber Orchestra, Southbohemian Chamber Philharmonic České Budějovice, Chamber Philharmonic Pardubice, Philharmonic Orchestra Hradec Králové, Carlsbad Symphony Orchestra, Pilsen Philharmonic, Bohuslav Martinů Philharmonic, Moravian Philharmonic Olomouc, Janáček Philharmonic Ostrava, Czech Philharmonic Collegium, Pavel Haas Chamber Orchestra etc.), he participated in international festivals (Prague Spring, Mitte Europa, Český Krumlov). His opera performances include complete preparation of Figaro's Wedding in the opera in Ústí nad Labem and in the Prague Theatre Komedie. In 2002 and 2004, he was a scholarship holder of London Masterclasses, where – under the guidance of the founder of Boston Philharmonic Maestro Benjamin Zander – worked with the London Soloists Chamber Orchestra. In 2007, he ranked the 4th in the international conducting competition of Prague Spring, he gained a honorary mention of the jury and other two awards for the most successful Czech candidate. Together with the Czech Philharmonic Collegium, he recorded two gramophone titles – the DVD „Transformations“ (project of the group Čechomor, published by Universal Music, elected as the disc of the year) and the CD of concertos for violin and viola (Gabriela Demeterová, Supraphon).
An inseparable part of activities of Ondřej Vrabec is a professional interest in the issue of viniculture. He has an active experience as a sommelier, he visits wineries all over the world and publishes articles about wine. Due to his merit, excellent wines of two most prestigious Uruguay wineries - Bodega Bouza and Bodega Pizzorno have been imported in the Czech Republic.

Hana Mülerová-Jouzová ranks among leading Czech harpists. Her status is documented by the individuality of her performing style, her feeling for purity of style and sound, and above all, her immaculate playing technique. A graduate of the Prague Conservatory, where she studied in the class of Professor Libuše Váchalová, she furthered her education during a studying visit the Kiev Conservatory, with Professor N. Izmailova, and completed her schooling in 1984, at Prague´s Academy of Music, with a graduate course under the supervision of Professor K. Patras. She has scored victories in numerous naional competitions, and in 1986 became winner of the Ruth Lorraine Competition at the university of Eugene, Ore., U.S.A. She has combined her career as a soloist with work in tandem with other leading instrumenatlists. Hana Müllerová-Jouzová´s repertoire encompasses major works of the world music literature of all periods of styles, including music by contemporary composers, many of which she has premiered. She has also worked with many Czech and international symphony and chamber orchestras.
Besides appearing on the concert platform in her home country, Hana Müllerová-Jouzová has to her credit an immpressive list of succesful solo performances in many cities of Europe (in France, Russia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Spain and Switzerland), as well as in Cuba, and the U.S.A., including appearances at international music festivals. She is a frequent guest of radio and television studios, and has produced recordings for various Czech international labels (Supraphon, Panton, Clarton, Edit, Naxos, Pony Canyon, etc.). She devotes part of her time to teaching harp at Prague´s Music Gymnasium, and is permanently engaged as Solo harpist of the Prague Symphony Orchestra.

Robert Ward pursues an active international career as pianist, orchestral conductor, chamber musician, artistic director of music festivals, juror at international competitions, and master teacher. He has received numerous awards and honors, including the Prix di Positano for outstanding performance of Beethoven's piano music, an Austrian Government Grant for study in Vienna, and a Fulbright Award for study in Italy with Wilhelm Kempff. A native of Illinois, his early teachers were former pupils of Isabelle Vengerova, Artur Schnabel, and Emil von Sauer, one of the last pupils of Franz Liszt. Later in New York, he coached with Dorothy Taubman.
Long admired for his performances of the Viennese classical composers, Robert Ward is also a proponent of American music, giving many first performances abroad, including works by Gershwin, Cage, and Samuel Barber whose Piano Concerto he introduced on a 10-country tour of South America sponsored by the U.S. State Department. He is active at summer festivals world-wide, including the AMEROPA Chamber Music Festival in Prague; the Liszt Piano Academy in Sopron, Hungary; Corso Internazionale di Musica da Camera in Positano, Italy; and at Tunghai University in Taiwan. With colleagues from Vienna, he founded and directs Piano*Fest*Austria, an international festival in Vienna dedicated to the study and performance of Mozart Concerti.
Renowned as a master teacher, Robert Ward has produced prize-winning students in national and international competitions. In 2002, the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts honored Robert Ward as a Distinguished Teacher in the Arts for inspiring young artists and "having the most profound influence on their artistic development." Professor Ward has taught on the faculties of the University of Southern California and UCLA in Los Angeles, and is currently Professor of Piano at California State University and Occidental College and teaches chamber music at the California Institute of Technology.

František Malý's artistic career began in the mid-1960s, when his exceptional talent led to his winning the Chopin, Smetana and Beethoven Piano Competitions, with a special prize for interpretation of Beethoven's works. After finishing his studies at the Brno and Prague Conservatories in 1969, he began his study at the Academy of Music, Drama and Fine Arts in Prague. After graduation in 1976, Mr. Malý continued his musical education as a doctoral student in the arts. He is prize winner of the international piano competitions of Ferruccio Busoni in Bolzano, Italy (1967), Marguerite Long in Paris (1969 and 1973) and Ettore Pozzoli in Seregno, Italy (1974). Apart from his concert activities as a soloist, he is intensively engaged in chamber music in cooperation with leading Czech musicians. Mr. Malý took part in founding the Antonín Dvořák Trio. He has toured many countries including Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Poland, the former USSR, Belgium, Spain, Austria, Portugal, Canada, and the United States as a solo and chamber musician. Currently, Mr. Malý is a pedagogue at Prague's Academy of Performing Arts.

Teresa Ehrlich began her musical training at the age of four. Born and raised in the Midwest, she received her master of music degree in piano performance and pedagogy from Northern Illinois University as a student of Donald Walker. She has also worked with teachers Gyorgy Sebok, Menachem Pressler , and Leon Fleisher. She has received critical acclaim throughout the United States, Israel and South America, where she has performed as recitalist and soloist with orchestras including the Sinfoica de Maracaibo and the Filarmonica de Caracas in Venezuela.
In addition to her solo and orchestral engagements, she is active as a chamber musician and has performed as a guest artist with the Audubon, Vermeer, Cassatt, and Vanbrugh quartets. Teresa has been a participant in the Banff Festival in Canada, Yale Chamber Music Festival, Music at Gretna Festival, New Hampshire Music Festival, Chautauqua Festival in New York, and the Sanibel Island Festival. She has performed on live broadcasts for radio station WFMT in Chicago and has been heard on National Public Radio.
In 1993, she and her husband, David, co-founded a non-profit community music school in Blacksburg, Virginia, named the Renaissance Music Academy of Virginia. Teresa is Executive Director of the school and a member of the faculty, teaching piano and chamber music. Her students have won top prizes in national and international competitions. She is a member of the Avanti Ensemble, which performs thoughout Virginia, and performs annually in the Red Rocks Music Festival in Arizona.

Dino Mastroyiannis is one of the most distinguished contemporary classical music artists to emerge from Northern Greece in recent years. Hailed as "one of the most famed musicians currently representing Greece internationally”, (United Nations - United Symphony Orchestra in F.Y.R.O.M.), he has both performed in recital and appeared as soloist with orchestra in 15 countries. He has appeared in prestigious halls such as the Bridgewater in Manchester, Glinka Hall of the St. Petersburg Philharmonic, Ateneul Roman in Bucharest, Rudolfinum in Prague and Odeon of Herodus Atticus (Hellenic Festival) in Athens, to name a few.
A champion of the concerto repertoire, Mr. Mastroyiannis’ impressive concerto list includes some 25 works, from Bach to Vladigerov and from Mendelssohn to John Psathas. He has appeared as soloist with many international orchestras and performed in Slovakia, Bulgaria, Poland, Russia, Romania, Italy, Ukraine, Czech Republic, Great Britain, as well as in Greece. Mr. Mastroyiannis took his first piano lessons by Ely Adam (tracing back to Alfred Cortot). He is a graduate of the Conservatory of Athens, where he studied under Aliki Vatikioti (student of Friedrich Wuehrer), receiving the Soloist Diploma with the highest possible distinction and obtained the coveted First Prize. He continued his studies under the internationally acclaimed Bulgarian pedagogues Konstantin & Julia Ganevi, who were students of Heinrich Neuhaus. Further studies in both solo and chamber music performance in Austria, (International Summer Academy of the University of Salzburg - Mozarteum) as well as at the Hanover Music Academy in Germany and the Sion Music Academy in Switzerland. Mr. Mastroyiannis completed his studies in piano performance as a private student of one of the greatest virtuosi of the past century, Brazilian pianist Roberto Szidon (student of Claudio Arrau and Artur Rubinstein).
Roberto Szidon had described Mr. Mastroyiannis as "one of the eminent Greek pianists" and Paul Badura-Skoda had written that "his technical and musical abilities are up to an international level. Recently, “Libertà”, one of the most important Italian newspapers, wrote a triumphal review about Dino’s playing, whose title was: “discovering the most secret Mozart”.
More information at personal web sites.

Václav Mácha was born in 1979 in Prague (Czech Republic). He learn to play piano from 6 years old. Since his young age he got many prizes in International Piano Competitions. When he was 15 years old, he had solo debut concert (recital) in Dvorak Hall in Prague. He graduated from the Musical School of the capital city Prague in 1994 as a pupil of Prof. Jan Tůma. He entered Academy of Perfoming Arts in Prague in class of Prof. Ivan Moravec as the youngest student in the history of academy(15 years old). After successful finishing his study he advanced on Hochschule fur Musik und Theater in Hannover (Germany) by Prof. Karl-Heinz Kammerling, where he finished in 2001. Now he continues in Soloklasse. Although young, he participated in many international piano competitions. In 1991 he won first prize at the international competition „Virtuosi per musica di pianoforte“ in Ústí nad Labem. He became second prize in the Radio competition Concertino Praga 1994 in the national round and he received a Place of Honor in the international round. One year later he became a finalist of the International Platform of Young Artists UNESCO at Bratislava Music Festival, where he was sent by the Czech Radio. In 1996 he got the 3rd prize in international competition for the „European music for youth prize“ in Dublin. For the excelent interpretation of work of Leoš Janáček (On an Overgrown Path) he became in 1997 special prize of Leoš Janáček Foundation. In 1998, he won 1st prize in international competiton Viotti-Valsesia in Italy. On the same competition he became also special prize for the best interpretatiton of works by Beethoven. He received 2nd Prize in Karl-Bergemann Conpetiton in Hannover (Germany) in 2000. His life as professional pianist started from his young age, not only in the Czech Republic, but also in Europe, USA and Japan etc. He performed in the season series of Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. He played also with many orchestras (Prague Philharmonie, Czech National Symphonic Orchestra, Brno State Philharmonic Orchestra, Suk Chamber Orchestra, Hradec Kralove Philhamonie, Czech Chamber Orchestra, West Czech Symphony Orchestra, Pardubice Chamber Orchestra, Janacek Chamber Orchestra, Janacek Philharmonie, P.Costantinescu di Ploiesti Orchestra etc.). He made many recordings with Czech Radio, Slovakian Radio, Czech TV, Deutsche Welle (Germany), Japan NHK-FM and CD. In 2006, he recorded Mozart Piano Sonatas for EBU (European Broadcasting Union).

Miroslav Sekera is a Czech pianist who has won numerous awards, including first prize awards in the Chopin Competition at Marianske Lazne and The Johannes Brahms International Competition at Portschach, Austria, and from the Prague Academy of Music. Mirek was a child actor who played the part of the young Wolfgang Mozart in the 1985 film Amadeus. He is seen in only one short but important scene in which he is playing the harpsichord and violin for the Pope in the Vatican.

Prof. Tsutomu Masuko completed his Doctoral Course of Art (All but Dissertation) at Ball State University, Indiana. He has been active as a baritone throughout the world and, recently he is under great demand to conduct orchestras and choruses. Besides his artistic activities, Masuko is also a certified Music Therapist by JMTA and by Institute of Neurologic Music Therapy, Colorado State University. Masuko has been known as an outstanding baritone not only in Japan but also through out the United States and European Music Circles. Masuko appeared as a soloist in such International Music Festivals as Berlin Musik Tage, Dresden International Music Festival, Festival de Wallonie, Greco 85, Palau de Musica Festival, and Barcelona. Tsutomu Masuko conducts orchestras such as “Camerata filarmonica Bohemia” (Czech), “Mozart Chamber Orchestra” and “Ensemble Sakai”. He is also known as a choral conductor and he regularly conducts “Mozart Choral Ensemble Japan”, “Osaka Symphonic Choire” and “Nishi-Kobe Choire”. Prof. Masuko has been teaching voice and Opera at Mukogawa Women’s University since 1977 and is the founder of the Music Therapy Department. He has been a guest professor at such universities as Eastern Washington State University, Ball State University (U.S.A), Pollenca International Music Academy (Spain), Osaka University, Osaka University of Arts, Osaka University of Education, Kobe University, Kyushu Hokenfukushi University, Kohnan University (Japan), Dresden Semper Oper Opernstudio, Weimar Musik Hochschule (Germany), Conservatory of Barcelona (Spain), and Novosibirsk National Conservatory-Glinka (Russia). Prof. Masuko has published theses on Music Education, Music Therapy, Sociological Research and Aesthetic of Music. He has also published CDs for Medical Purpose and music Therapy. His Gospel-Musical has been performed more than 20 times, and he has completed a 4-act play, “Underground Railroad” with Ensemble in Orchestra Pit.

Soprano Marcía Porter has performed with several opera companies including Chautauqua Opera, Dayton Opera, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Chicago Opera Theatre, and Lyric Opera of Chicago. She has essayed such roles as Mrs. Hayes (Susannah), Pamina (The Magic Flute), Princess Elisa (Paganini), Lucy (Treemonisha) and St. Answers (Four Saints in Three Acts). Her credits also include Malwina (Der Vampyr), Camilla Pocket (Miss Havisham's Fire), Mimi (La Boh ème) and a role written for her for Dayton Opera's world premier of Adolphus Hailstork's Paul Laurence Dunbar: Common Ground. Porter, an active concert artist and recitalist, made her New York Solo Recital Debut in Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in 2005. The soprano has also performed in Italy (Rome and Siena), São Paolo, Brazil, at the Ravinia Festival in Chicago and numerous other venues throughout the United States. Recent and upcoming engagements include performances of Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Penderecki’s Credo, Mozart’s Requiem, Rossini’s Stabat Mater and recitals in New Mexico, Tennessee, Georgia, and Virginia. In July 2007 the soprano will travel to Beijing, China as the soprano soloist for performances of Poulenc’s Gloria. A Rotary International Cultural Ambassadorial Scholar, Porter has won several other awards and honors. In 2004 she was awarded the winner of the NATS Artist Award Competition, which is the highest honor the National Association of Teachers of Singing gives to a performer and is awarded once every two years. Other awards include the Metropolitan Opera Central Region, Jessye Norman Graduate Fellowship in Voice, Opera Carolina Young Artist Recital Program Award, and the Farwell Award. A native of New Orleans, Ms. Porter is currently an Assistant Professor of Voice at the Florida State University. She holds Bachelors and Masters degrees in voice performance from Northwestern University and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in performance from the University of Michigan, where she studied with famed Metropolitan Opera singer Shirley Verrett. Previous teachers include Margaret Harshaw and Carmen Mehta. Porter’s current research interests focus on the classical vocal music of Brazil.