Introducing the jury of 60th Beethoven's Hradec in violoncello
Jiří Hanousek
the chairman of the jury
He is a graduate of the Conservatory in Ostrava, where he studied cello under PhDr. Ivana Měrka and Prof. Jan Hališka. At the same time, he studied composition with Jaromír Podešva. After graduating from the conservatory, he continued his studies at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague under Prof. Miloš Sádlo. He demonstrated his talent and mastery, among other achievements, by earning the title of laureate of the Prague Spring International Competition.
He has had a rich concert career. As a soloist and concertmaster of the Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra Ostrava, he performed at concerts across Europe, the USA, Canada, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and Australia.
He recorded Dvořák's Cello Concerto in B minor and, in its premiere, the Cello Concerto by American composer Ch. R. Berry with the Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra Ostrava. For the American label Centaur, he recorded the Cello and Piano Sonatas by B. Martinů with pianist Pavel Kašpar, and for the Swiss label Tudor, the Cello Sonatas of J. B. Foerster. In co-production with Bavarian Radio, he recorded Cello and Piano Sonatas by 20th-century French composers C. Debussy, F. Poulenc, and Ch. Koechlin for the Italian label Real Sound. He also participated in the recording of chamber music by Jaromír Podešva. In his interpretation, the Czech premieres included Samuel Barber's Cello Concerto, Gérard Schurmann's *Gardens of Exile*, and Kurtág's *Three Pieces for Cello*. He has long been actively engaged in teaching at the Janáček Conservatory in Ostrava and at the Faculty of Arts of the University of Ostrava. He is regularly invited to serve on the juries of national and international competitions.
Michaela Fukačová
Michaela Fukačová established herself among the world’s elite in the 1990s, debuting in major cities such as London, Paris, Copenhagen, Berlin, New York, and Tokyo with leading orchestras and conductors. Her rapid rise was facilitated by a series of successes in prestigious competitions, including the Prague Spring, the Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow, the W. Naumburg Competition in New York, and others.
A graduate of the Brno Conservatory, the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, and the Royal Danish Conservatory in Copenhagen, she further developed her extraordinary talent in London, Siena, and Los Angeles, including private studies with M. Rostropovich.
Although she has been living in Denmark for many years, she remains connected to the Czech cultural scene (collaborations with Josef Suk, Ivan Klánský, and her teaching activities here). In addition to the core works of the world’s cello repertoire, the artist enthusiastically takes on neglected compositions by old masters or, on the other hand, the latest premieres (Gramophone Award for her recording of Lieberson's concerto *Six Realms*).
She is the recipient of the Danish Critics' Award and an honorary member of the oldest Danish academy in Sorø. She plays an Italian instrument by Carlo Tononi from 1726.
Ramón Jaffé
Ramón Jaffé is an artist with a rich cultural and artistic background. He comes from Riga and studied with renowned masters such as Don Jaffé, Sandor Végh, and David Geringas. Jaffé is the recipient of many awards, and his solo career has taken him to major cities and concert halls around the world, including Berlin, Vienna, London, and St. Petersburg. He has performed with prestigious orchestras such as the RSO Vienna, Bavarian Radio, and the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra.
In addition to classical music, Jaffé also dedicates himself to flamenco and has collaborated with prominent artists of this genre, including guitarist Pedro Bacan and jazz singer Bobby McFerrin. With his flamenco trio, he is a regular guest at prestigious festivals.
Jaffé is also a passionate chamber musician and a member of the "Mendelssohn Trio Berlin." His discography includes 28 CDs, including the first recording of B. Blacher's Cello Concerto. In 1995, he founded the Hopfgarten/Tirol Chamber Music Festival, where he serves as artistic director. For this work, he was awarded the Tyrolean Eagle Order. He is also dedicated to teaching at the Hochschule für Musik "C. M. v. Weber" in Dresden.
Eugen Prochác
A renowned Slovak cellist, educator, and conductor. He has performed as a soloist in over 40 countries and recorded several CDs for prestigious labels. He is the winner of the Premio Valentino Bucchi International Competition in Rome and the recipient of the Slovak Music Critics' Award. He teaches at the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava and regularly conducts masterclasses worldwide.
Prochác has collaborated with prominent artists such as Sofia Gubajdulina, Arto Noras, and Rick Wakeman, and has participated in projects with musicians from various genres, including Tribute to Freedom with Jon Anderson from the band Yes. In 2018, he founded the Czecho-Slovak Cello Quartet and toured several European countries. In 2021, he performed at festivals in Italy and France, and in 2022, in other European countries.
He is the founder of the International Festival of Beautiful Music in Banská Štiavnica and served as the main dramaturg of the festival in Al Ain and the Mozart Festival in Istanbul. He studied conducting with renowned educators and has conducted a number of prestigious orchestras.
Georg Baich
Georg Baich was born in 1958 in Graz, Austria, where he was admitted at the age of eight to the class for talented cellists of Hildgund Posch-Schwarz at the Music Academy of Graz (now KUG, Kunstuniversität Graz). After graduating in 1977, he continued his studies with Jannis Chronopoulos. In 1982, he graduated from the academy with a teaching diploma, and in 1983, he earned his concert diploma. From 1983 to 1985, he continued his cello studies at the Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory in St. Petersburg on a scholarship. His teacher, Emmanuil G. Fischmann, had a profound and inspiring influence on him both as a musician and a pedagogue.
Since 1989, Georg Baich has been teaching at the Vienna Music School and at MUK (Musik und Kunst Privatuniversität Wien). He is a respected teacher who fosters the development of young talents. Many of his students have become national and international competition winners, including at the International Cello Competition in Liezen, Austria, the David-Popper Competition in Hungary, the A. Prochazka Competition in Košice, the J. Mravinsky Competition in St. Petersburg, the A. Janigro Competition in Croatia, and the Whitgift International Music Competition in London, UK.
For over twenty years, he has also been leading masterclasses in various countries, such as Fire of Orpheus in Bulgaria and the Gudaca Festival in Kotor, Montenegro.
