II. year of the Vlastimil Lejsek international competition for piano duos
The competition is organised by the ICL association under the patronage of the Ministry of culture of the Czech Republic, regional council president of South Moravian Region and mayor of the city of Brno, with the financial support of South Moravian Region, the statutory city of Brno, in the cooperation with Petrof pianos, villa Löw-Beer and Brno conservatory from the 24th to the 26th of June 2021.
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The international competition of Vlastimil Lejsek (MSVL) for piano duos is intended for kids and youths from art shools, musical grammar schools, conservatories and academies from the Czech republic or abroad within the age limit from 6 to 26 years.
The main goal of the competition is not only to support local composers and young musical talents, but also to promote the city of Brno itself across the Czech republic or even abroad.
Concerts and the competition will take place in unique premises of villa Löw-Beer. It is a remarkable opportunity for visitors to visit this stunning place and to enjoy varied musical programme. MSVL can be understood as a preliminary competition for International Schubert competition of piano duos, which was founded by Lejseks in 1978 and which is still worldwidely out of the ordinary.
"About Lejsek"
Vlastimil Lejsek
21st July 1927, Brno - 12th March 2010, Brno
Lecturer JAMU, pianist, composer, pedagogue
After his graduation at a classical grammar school in Brno he studied the piano with prof. Fr. Schäfer (Brno conservatory), Fr. Maxián (AMU Prague) and Jan Erml (JAMU Brno). He continued at JAMU as a pedagogue immediately after studies until his retirement. Lejsek's repertoire as a pianist was very large, from L. van Beethoven through Romantics (F. Liszt, F. Chopin, Joh. Brahms, R. Schumann), G. Gershwinn up to contemporary music.
He premiered piano concert by Pavel Blatný and his other compositions, graduate's work by M. Ištvan – Symfony concert for piano and orchestra (performed even with Czech Philharmonic in Prague), his own 2nd Sonata for piano, compositions by Jos. Berg etc. Lejsek had more than 30 concerts for piano and orchestra in his repertoire. He prefered to play interesting, but less performed titles, which were brought to life again this way. Because of this he coworked closely with many orchestras and conductors. Lejsek alwyas engaged in chamber music and worked with our most prominent players and singers. Together with his wife, Věra Lejsková-Králová, they reintroduced piano duo to concert halls, stages and recording studios. This effort came to a head by founding of Schubert international competition for piano duos which takes place regularly in Jeseník since 1978 and more than a thousand pianists from all over the world have already participated.
As a composer, Vlastimil Lejsek focused mostly on piano both solo and duo. He composed various pieces from instructive to concert compositions for four hands on one instrument or for two pianos as well. Many of them were published by home publishers. As a pedagogue he raised a long list of pianists, who still participate in concert life or teach at our art schools. He was a member of juries, SČSKU, Club of moravian composers and we can find his name in numerous home and foreign dictionaries.
From the repertoire of Lejseks couple piano duo we name at least Sonata for two pianos and percussions by Béla Bartók, Concerto per due pianoforti soli by Igor Strawinsky, compositions by B. Britten for two pianos including his Scotisch ballad for two pianos and orchestra, the czechoslovak premiere of which was in 1964 in Olomouc with the presence of the composer. They performed the czechoslovak premiere of Concert for two pianos and orchestra, Three czech dances and Fantasy for two pianos by B. Marinů too, as well as compositions by D. Millhaud. Lejseks were in close touch with Millhaud at concerts and LP Supraphon, including his Concert for two pianos and orchestra. Its first performance in CZ was broadcasted by radio and later released on CD in Paris. Czech authors like Emil Hlobil, J. Feld, P. Blatný, M. Ištvan, J. Berg, Zd. Pololánik and more wrote for Lejseks.
Věra and Vlastimil Lejskovi were first to record Slavonic Dances by Dvořák in original version, for piano four hands, for Supraphon. For german Eterna they recorded besides other things 7CDs with compositions by Fr. Schubert or F. Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, including his Concert for two pianos and orchestra.