Mgr. Aleš Březina, Ph.D.

Education

2015-2017 - Faculty of Arts, Palacký University Olomouc, Music Theory and Pedagogy, state doctoral examination 6/2017

1989 - 1998 - University of Basel, postgraduate studies at the Department of Musicology

1985-1989 Faculty of Arts, Charles University in Prague, Department of Musicology

1979-85 - Conservatory in Pilsen, violin

 

Internships and scholarships

- 1988 - Czech Music Fund – Early String Quartets by B. Martinů, one-month research stay at the Bohuslav Martinů Memorial at the Municipal Museum in Polička

- 1989-1992- Eidgenössische Stipendienkommission ESTA (Switzerland) –– manuscripts by B. Martinů in the Paul Sacher Collection in Basel, studies at the University of Basel

- 1-6/1998 - Research scholarship from the Paul Sacher Foundation, Basel

- 19-30 March 2007 – editorial internship at Bärenreiter Kassel

- 3-5/2017 - ERASMUS+, Musicological Institute, University of Hamburg

 

Work experience

1992 - 1994 - research assistant, Musicological Institute, Basel

1994 - present - founder and director of the Bohuslav Martinů Institute

1994 - 2000 - secretary of the Bohuslav Martinů Foundation in Prague

2003–present – Head of the Complete Critical Edition of the Works of Bohuslav Martinů

 

Language skills

- German (international certificate Zentrale Oberstufenprüfung)

- English – active spoken and written

- French – active spoken and written

- Russian – passive

- Latin - at the level of a graduate of the Faculty of Arts, Charles University

 

Awards

- GAČR Chairwoman's Award for one of the five best scientific projects of 2020

- Best Edition Award from the German Music Publishers Association for the edition of the Epic of Gilgamesh 2016

- Theatre Critics' Award for Best Theatre Music of the Year (repeatedly)

- Czech Lion Award for Best Film Music of the Year (4 nominations)

- Czech Film Critics' Award for Best Film Music of the Year (1 nomination)

- Best European Film Composer 2010 (nomination)

 

 

 

Publications:

2025

- Aleš Březina, Michael Beckerman (ed.), Martinů and His World, Chicago University Press 2025 (in print)

2024

- Aleš Březina, Ivana Rentsch et. al. „Making Real Theatre“ Bohuslav Martinů's Music Theatre, Part I: 1913-1937, Vol. 1 + 2, Würzburg: Königshausen & Neumann (in print)

- Aleš Březina, Ivana Rentsch (ed.), Bedřich Smetana and European Opera, Würzburg: Königshausen & Neumann, 2024

- Aleš Březina, Czech Film Music, in Martin Nedbal, Kelly St. Pierre, Hana Vlhová-Wörner (vyd.), The Cambridge History of Music in Czech Lands, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (in print).

- Aleš Březina. „Diving into Logic of Dreams: Bohuslav Martinů’s Juliette.“ Bachtrack, 24. 4. 2024. https://bachtrack.com/about-a-work-martinu-juliette-year-of-czech-music-april-2024.

- Aleš Březina. „Interview with Leon Botstein.“ Martinů Revue 24, č. 2–3 (July–December 2024), s. 26.

2023

- Aleš Březina, “So We Have a New Musical and Social Form – Opera-crisis:” The Transformation of Bohuslav Martinů’s Music Theatre after “Black Tuesday” 1929 / „Tak máme novou hudebně-sociální formu – opera-krize:“ Proměny hudebního divadla Bohuslava Martinů po „Černém úterý“ 1929, Hudební věda 60, č.1 (2023), 35-48

- Aleš Březina, An Explosive Story, Freshly Relevant, Takes Center Stage in Salzburg, interview o přípravě nastudování opery Řecké pašije na Salzburger Festspiele, New York Times, 14.7.2023, Section A, Page 12

- Aleš Březina, Triumf Řeckých pašijí Bohuslava Martinů na Salcburském festivalu, Klasika+ 17. 8. 2023

Březina, Aleš. „Bohuslav Martinů’s the Greek Passion Triumphs in Salzburg“. Martinů Revue 23, č. 2–3 (2023), s. 7–8.

Březina, Aleš. „Triumf Řeckých pašijí Bohuslava Martinů na Salcburském festivalu“.
Klasika plus [online], 17. 8. 2023. Dostupné z https://www.klasikaplus.cz/triumf-reckych-pasiji-bohuslava-martinu-na-salcburskem-festivalu/.

Pilát, Tomáš. „Aleš Březina. ‚Budoucnost je v sound designu‘“. AutorIn 15, č. 4 (2023), s. 44–47 (interview with Aleš Březina).

Schmid, Rebecca. „An Explosive Story, Freshly Relevant, Takes Center Stage in Salzburg“. The New York Times 172, č. 59,849 (14. 7. 2023), s. A-12 (interview with Aleš Březina).

2022

- Aleš Březina, Ivana Rentsch, Jitka Zichová, Pavel Žůrek, Dělat opravdové divadlo I. Komentované kritické vydání libret všech jevištních děl Bohuslava Martinů z let 1913–1937 a kritická notová edice jeho oper Mariken de Nimègue a Alexandre bis. Hudební věda, r. 50, č. 4, 2022, s. 488–509, ISSN 0018-7003

- Aleš Březina, „The Epic of Gilgamesh. The 1st Volume of the Martinů Complete Edition“. Martinů Revue XXII, č. 2–3 (May–December 2022), s. 4–5.

2021

Aleš Březina, The tears of the knife in the art film struggle with the devil. Martinů Revue No. 3, 2021, s. 12-13. Rozhovor s Kateřinou Kněžíkovou a Markétou Cukrovou o projektu Slzy nože, který proběhl online v Berlíně v únoru 2021  

- Aleš Březina, The Greek Passion of Bohuslav Martinů on European Stages, Martinů Revue No. 1, January – April 2021, s. 8 - 10

- Aleš Březina, An early version of String Quartet No. 2, H 150 (1925) by Bohuslav Martinů discovered. Briefs / Feuilletons." Fontes Artis Musicae, vol. 68 no. 1, 2021, p. 33-36.

- Aleš Březina, "So we have a new musical and social form: opera-crisis.“ The transformation of Bohuslav Martinů's Music Theatre after 'Black Tuesday' 1929. Dublin, papers from the Plenary conference of the SMI

2020

- Aleš Březina, Bohuslav Martinů, in Sandra Bergmannová, Veronika Vejvodová (vyd.), Slavní čeští skladatelé: Bedřich Smetana, Antonín Dvořák, Leoš Janáček, Bohuslav Martinů, NM Praha 2020, s. 244–338; 344–349

- Aleš Březina, Jsem muzikolog, Harmonie 1/2020, s. 48–51

- Aleš Březina, Řecké pašije Bohuslava Martinů na evropských jevištích posledních dvou dekád, Harmonie 4/2020, s. 15–17

- Aleš Březina, Souborné vydání díla Bohuslava Martinů II. Smyčcové kvartety č. 4–7, Hudební rozhledy 6/2020, s. 52–53

- Aleš Březina, Bohuslav Martinů's ambivalent relationship to Czechoslovakia, Martinů Revue 1/2020, s. 14–17; 2/2020, s. 8–11

- Aleš Březina, “I do not deny of course that Stravinsky has influenced me.” An early version of String Quartet No.2, H 150 (1925) by Bohuslav Martinů, Martinů Revue 3/2020, s. 16–17

- Aleš Březina, “We Have to Bring Martinů to the World.” Frank Peter Zimmermann and Jakub Hrůša on their new Martinů recording, Martinů Revue 3/2020, s. 12–15

- Aleš Březina, Slovak Songs, H 126, Martinů Revue 3/2020, s. 19

2019

- Aleš Březina, Bohuslav Martinů - Rhapsody-Concerto pro violu a orchestr, Concerto da camera pro housle a komorní orchestr, předmluva ke svazku kritického vydání, Bärenreiter 2019, The Martinů Complete Edition, text český a anglický

- Aleš Březina, Souborné vydání díla Bohuslava Martinů. I. více než jen opravené noty, Hudební rozhledy, 3/2019, s. 56

- Aleš Březina, Souborné vydání díla Bohuslava Martinů. II. První dva svazky - Epos o Gilgamešovi, H 351 a Symfonie č. 4, H 305, Hudební rozhledy, 6/2019, s. 52

- Aleš Březina, Souborné vydání díla Bohuslava Martinů. III. Komorní a orchestrální kantáty a komorní hudba pro 3-6 nástrojů, Hudební rozhledy, 9/2019, s. 56

- Aleš Březina, Souborné vydání díla Bohuslava Martinů. IV. Komorní instrumentální hudba Bohuslava Martinů, Hudební rozhledy č.12, s.56

- Aleš Březina, Aye, Graham, Harmonie, 4/2019, s. 3-5

- Aleš Březina, Aye, Graham, Martinů Revue, č. 2 (květen-srpen 2019), s.6-8

- Aleš Březina, Making Real Theatre. Text o 1. verzi Řeckých pašijí pro program Opera North Leeds 16.7.2019

- Aleš Březina, Alexandra Boucher /1929-2019, Martinů Revue, č. 3 (září-prosinec 2019), s. 4

- Remembering Paul Sacher 28 april 1906-26 may 1999, Martinů Revue, č. 3 (září-prosinec 2019), s. 16-17

2018

- Aleš Březina, »...pour le moment, je suis là-bas toujours considéré come un famous czech composer...«: ambivalentní vztah Bohuslava Martinů k Československu, in: Clavibus unitis 7/1 (2018), s. 99-107, http://www.acecs.cz/cu_2018_07.php

2017

- Aleš Březina, Bohuslav Martinů: String Quartets II (nos. 4 - 7), preface to the critical edition, The Martinů Complete Edition series IV/3/2, ed. Aleš Březina et al., 2017, BA 10576-01

- Aleš Březina, Sounds of War, recenze OM 4/2017

- Aleš Březina, Albert Roussel a Čechy, Harmonie 9/2017

- Aleš Březina, program Řecké pašije, Carlstad Švédsko

- Aleš Březina, buklet CD Hora tří světel a Hymnus ke sv. Jakubu, Český filharmonický sbor, Petr Fiala, Arco diva 2017

- Aleš Březina, buklet CD Česká filharmonie, Manfred Honeck, Epic of Gilgamesh, Supraphon 2017

- Dokončení a obhájení disertační práce Epos o Gilgamešovi v kontextu hudebního divadla B. Martinů, UPOL 2017

2016

- Aleš Březina, Flucht in Traumwelten. Bohuslav Martinůs Oper "Juliette" gewinnt an Beliebtheit, in takte 2/2016, 16

- Aleš Březina, Kam povede cesta 1. Oratorio to není, ani kantáta, je to zkrátka Epic, in Harmonie 1/2016, 30-31

- Aleš Březina, Kam povede cesta 2. Je to dramatické a pronásleduje mne to ve spánku, in Harmonie 3/2016, 48-49

- Aleš Březina, Kam povede cesta 3. Gilgamešův boj o vydavatele, in Harmonie 7/2016, 4-5.

2015

- Aleš Březina, Reconstructing a Better Version of The Greek Passion, in Tyrrel, John a Simeone, Nigel (vyd.), Charles Mackerras, Boydell Press 2015,  165-168

- Aleš Březina, A long-overdue project. Launch of the Complete Edition of Bohuslav Martinů´s Works, takte 1/2015

2014

- Aleš Březina, The Epic of Gilgamesh - kritické vydání díla, Bärenreiter 2014, BA 10571-01, ISMN 9790260107632, The Martinu Complete Edition VI/2/1, LVII, 287 s., text český a anglický (publikace byla oceněna na Frankfurtském hudebním veletrhu 2016 cenou Best Edition 2016.)

- Aleš Březina, Epos o Gilgamešovi, program premiéry kritické edice, Filharmonie Brno, 12/2014

2012

- Aleš Březina, Martin Anderson (vyd.) Iša Popelka, Martinů’s Letters Home. Five Decades of Correspondence with Family and Friends, - nové texty a revize poznámkového aparátu, Toccata Press London 2012, 245 stran.

2011

- Aleš Březina, “To make a real theatre.” The first version of the Greek Passion as the crown of Bohuslav Martinů’s operatic oeuvre, program italské premiéry 1. verze Řeckých pašijí, Teatro Massimo di Palermo

2010

Aleš Březina, Ivana Rentsch, (vyd.), Kontinuität des Wandels. Bohuslav Martinů in der Musikgeschichte des 20. Jahrhunderts, Peter Lang Bern 2010 [=Martinů Studies 3]

- Aleš Březina, The Cut in the Third Movement of the Second Symphony, in: Michael Crump, Martinů and the Symphony, Toccata Press Londýn, 2010, 550 stran, spoluautorství kapitoly, 476-483

- Aleš Březina, Martinů Revisited Project: Short Summary, in Lucie Berná (vyd.) Martinů Revisited 2009-2010, Praha 2010, 8-9

- Aleš Březina, Von „Experimenten“, „Synthesen“ und „definitiven Werken“, in: Aleš Březina, Ivana Rentsch (vyd.), Continuity of Change. Bohuslav Martinů in Twentieth Century Music History (=Martinů Studies 3), Peter Lang Verlag Bern 2010, 13-37

2009

- Aleš Březina, Eva Velická (vyd.), Aspekte der Musik, Kunst und Religion zur Zeit der Tschechischen Moderne, Peter Lang Bern 2009 [=Martinů Studies 2]

- Aleš Březina, Martinůs musikhistorischer Ort. Prolegomena zu einer problemorientierten Darstellung des Komponisten, in: Ulrich Tadday (Hrsg.), Bohuslav Martinů, Musik-Konzepte. Neue Folge. Sonderband, Mnichov 2009, S. 5-23

- Aleš Březina, Bohuslav Martinů. Oeuvres pour piano. Préface, Eschig 2009,  i-iii

- Aleš Březina, „… Ich habe das Anrecht auf eine Bewertung, die mit derselben Ehrlichkeit verfasst wird, mit der ich an meine Arbeit herangehe.“, in Österreichische Musikzeitschrift, 11-12, 2009,  5-13

2008

-  Aleš Březina „Mit Martinůs eigenen Mitteln erweitert.“ Die Rückkehr der Griechischen Passion von Bohuslav Martinů und Nikos Kazantzakis ans Opernhaus Zürich, in: Schweizerische Musikzeitschrift 12/2008, S.6-7

 Aleš Březina, Tři fragmenty z Julietty, in Harmonie 12/2008

 Aleš Březina, Martinů Revisited, in: Czech Music 11/2008

Tři fragmenty z Julietty, in Rudolfinum Revue 11/2008

 Aleš Březina, Martinů Revisited, in: Harmonie 9/2008

2007

- “The two big states which make decisions about us.” Bohuslav Martinů between McCarthy's America and Communist Czechoslovakia, in: Michael Beckerman (ed.), Martinů's Mysterious Accident. Essays in Memory of Michael Henderson, Pendragon Press, New York 2007, pp. 61–71.

2006

- Aleš Březina, Řecké pašije, program inscenace opery v ND Praha, Praha 2006, 1-60

- Aleš Březina, “Je respire une dernière fois”. Propos sur Ariane de Martinu, in Ariane/Le Chateau de Barbe-Bleue, Cologne Opera House 2006

2005

- Aleš Březina, Zur Martinů-Gesamtausgabe, in Kongressbericht der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Musikforschung, 2005,

- Aleš Březina, Řecké pašije, program ND Brno

2004

- Editionsrichtlinien der Bohuslav Martinů Gesamtausgabe, in Hudební věda 2004, XLI, 3-4, s. 411-432

2003

- Aleš Březina, Růžena Dostálová, Růžena: Řecké pašije – osud jedné opery. Korespondence Bohuslava Martinů a Nikose Kazantzakise, SETOUT Praha 2003, 229 stran. English summary.

- Aleš Březina, “[...] the essential nobility of thoughts and things which are quite simple [...]. ” Martinus Versuch einer Erneuerung der Symphonie, in Symphonik 1930-1950. Gattungsgeschichtliche und analytische Beiträge, hrsg. von Wolfgang Osthoff und Giselher Schubert, = Frankfurter Studien Band IX, Mainz 2003, S. 224-242.

- Aleš Březina, Ludmila Sadílková (vyd.), Můj život s Bohuslavem Martinů, Editio Bärenreiter Praha 2003, 226 stran.

- Aleš Březina (vyd.), Prager Musikleben zu Beginn des 20. Jahrhunderts, Peter Lang Bern 2003 [=Martinů Studies 1]

- Aleš Březina, „Ich habe Bystrouška wegen des Waldes und der Traurigkeit meiner späten Jahre gefangen.“ Zur Entstehung der Oper Die Abenteuer des schlauen Füchsleins von Leos Janacek, im Programmheft der Bregenzer Festspiele 2003, S. 15-17

- Aleš Březina, - Das Tagebuch eines Verschollenen, im Programmheft der Bregenzer Festspiele 2003, S. 29-31

- Aleš Březina, Řecké pašije Bremer Oper 2003

- Aleš Březina, Mirandolina, in : takte 2003

- Aleš Březina, Juliette, in takte 2003

2002

 - Aleš Březina, „... dass ich ganze Szenen aus dieser Oper durchlebe“. Bohuslav Martinůs Juliette oder Das Traumbuch zwischen Traum und Alptraum, Programme Juliette oder Das Traumbuch, Bregenz Festival 2002, S.17-20

2001

- Aleš Březina, "...abych se mohl na změny předem duševně připravit." Řecké pašije - dvě opery Bohuslava Martinů, in Hudební věda, XXXVII, Praha 2001, č.1/2, pp.137-153

- Aleš Březina, The two versions of the Greek Passion, in The Greek Passion, předmluva ke klavírnímu výtahu první verze, rekonstrukce a vydání Aleš Březina, Universal Edition Wien, 2001, pp.II-VIII.

- Aleš Březina, A “Fantastic Learning Experience” in Composing for String Orchestra: Martinů’s Interventions in Vítězslava Kaprálová’s Partita.  Czech Music: Journal of the Dvořák Society, 21 (1999-2000), pp. 155-174

2000

- Aleš Březina, "Die nächste Etappe unserer Reise liegt noch im Unbekannten." Bohuslav Martinůs Flüchtlingsdrama 'Die griechische Passion', in: Ulrich Mosch (ed.), Entrez Denges et Denezy. Dokumente zur Schweizer Musikgeschichte 1900-2000, Schott Musik International, Mainz, 2000, pp.407-413

- Aleš Březina, Die Darstellung des ausländischen Musiklebens in der tschechischen Musikpresse zu Beginn des 20. Jahrhunderts, in: Aleš Březina (Hrsg.) Prager Musikleben zu Beginn des 20. Jahrhunderts [=Jahrbuch der Bohuslav Martinů-Stiftung, 1/1996], Peter Lang Verlag 2000, pp.27-37

- Aleš Březina, Suite concertante for Violin and Orchestra (1939) by Bohuslav Martinů, in: Newsletter of the Dvořák Society for Czech and Slovak Music, Londýn 2000, pp.

- Aleš Březina, "Tragedy and Compassion" and "Recreating the Original", in The Greek Passion, Programme, Covent Garden 2000, pp.15-18, p. 42

1999

- Aleš Březina, "It is God who speaks through your mouth, Manolios." Überlegungen zu den zwei Fassungen der Oper 'Die Griechische Passion, in: program světové premiéry opery Řecké pašije od Bohuslava Martinů, Bregenzer Festspiele 1999, pp.24-41

1998

- Aleš Březina, Bohuslav Martinů and the State(s), in Michael Beckerman (ed.), Czech Music of the 20th Century, Pendragon Press, New York 1998

1997

- Aleš Březina, Eine "phantastische Schule" des Komponierens für Streichorchester. Martinůs Eingriffe in die Partita (1938) von Vítězslava Kaprálová, in Joseph Willimann (ed.), Schweizer Jahrbuch für Musikwissenschaft, Neue Folge 17, Peter Lang Verlag Bern 1997, pp.95-113

- Aleš Březina, "Je respire une derniere fois". Propos sur Ariane de Martinů, in Ariane/Le Chateau de Barbe-Bleue, Le Programme de l'Opéra du Rhin, Strassbourg 1997, pp.36-45

1996

- Aleš Březina, Newly Discovered Manuscripts of Works by Bohuslav Martinů, in: Czech Music ‘96, č.5, 1996, 4

- Aleš Březina, “...eine übertriebene, gewollte Einfachheit.” Bohuslav Martinů als Rezensent des Pariser Musiklebens, in: Felix Meyer (ed.), Klassizistische Moderne. Werkeinfúhrungen, Essays, Quellentexte. Eine Begleitpublikation zur Konzertreihe im Rahmen der Veranstaltungen “10 Jahre Paul Sacher Stiftung”, Winterthur 1996 [= Veröffentlichungen der Paul Sacher Stiftung, Band 4], S.449-450

- Aleš Březina, Tibor Harsányi: Nonett, in: Felix Meyer (Hrsg.), Klassizistische Moderne. Werkeinfúhrungen, Essays, Quellentexte. Eine Begleitpublikation zur Konzertreihe im Rahmen der Veranstaltungen “10 Jahre Paul Sacher Stiftung”, Winterthur 1996 [= Veröffentlichungen der Paul Sacher Stiftung, Band 4], S.278-279

- Aleš Březina, Viktor Kalabis: Canticum Sacrum, in: Yvetta Koláčková (vyd.), Musica Iudaica 1996, Praha 1996, 58

- Aleš Březina, Bohuslav Martinů: The Prophecy of Isaiah, in: Yvetta Koláčková (vyd.), Musica Iudaica 1996, Praha 1996, 58-59

- Aleš Březina, Jak vyučoval Bohuslav Martinů [Bohuslav Martinů as a teacher], in: Hudební rozhledy, No.3, March 1996, 30-32

- Aleš Březina, Balet Špalíček od Bohuslava Martinů a jeho “lidovost”, in: Hudební rozhledy, No.10, October 1996, 30-31

1995

- Aleš Březina, Discovering Bohuslav Martinů’s estate, in: Czech Music ‘95, č.5, September-October 1995, 1-3

- Aleš Březina,“As two streams of blood...” Concerning the co-operation between Bohuslav Martinů and Nikos Kazantzakis, in: Czech Music ‘95, č.6, November-December 1995, 4-5

- Aleš Březina, Knihovna Bohuslava Martinů [Bohuslav Martinů's music and book library], in: Hudební rozhledy, No.3, March 1995, 33-35, and No.4, April 1995, 32-33

1994

- Aleš Březina, Die Martinů-Manuskripte in der Paul Sacher Stiftung Basel, in Joseph Willimann (Hrsg.), Schweizer Jahrbuch fuer Musikwissenschaft, N.F. 13/14, Paul Haupt Bern etc 1994,  157-274

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Editions of works by B. Martinů

- The Epic of Gilgamesh - kritické vydání díla, Bärenreiter 2014, BA 10571-01, ISMN 9790260107632, The Martinu Complete Edition VI/2/1, LVII, 287 s., text český a anglický (publikace byla oceněna na Frankfurtském hudebním veletrhu 2016 cenou Best Edition 2016.)

- String quartet No.6 (with Ivan Štraus), Editio Bärenreiter Praha (2006)
- La revue de cuisine (with Christopher Hogwood) Editions Leduc Paris (2006)
- Loutky (Puppets) I-III,  Editio Bärenreiter Praha (2002, 2004, 2005)
- String quartet No. 5 (with Adam Klemens) Editio Bärenreiter Praha (2005)
- String quartet No.4 (with Ivan Štraus), Editio Bärenreiter Praha (2004)
- Suite concertante (2nd version) – Schott Mainz (2003)
- Sonata No.3 for violoncello and piano -  Editio Bärenreiter Praha (2003)
- Jaro v zahrade (Spring in the Garden) -  Editio Bärenreiter Praha (2003)
- Symphony No.3 (with Sandra Bergmannová) Boosey and Hawkes, London (2003)
- Allegro symphonique – Bärenreiter Kassel (2002)
- Juliette or The Book of Dreams – urtext edition DILIA Praha (2005). With the original libretto in Czech and French as well as its translations into English and German

- The Greek Passion - reconstruction and urtext edition of the 1st version, piano—vocal score, UE Wien (2001)
The Greek Passion - reconstruction and urtext edition of the 1st version, score, UE Wien (1998)

- 4 Songs on Czech Folk Poetry, Editio Baerenreiter Praha (1999)
- String quartet E flat major – reconstruction and world premiere performance, Zurich 1993 (with the Drs Quartet)

Libretto translations

- Juliette oder Das Traumbuch– German translation for Bregenz Festival 2002 (with Dietfried Bernet), published in the programme brochure of the Bregenz Festival 2002, Oper im Haus Juliette oder Das Traumbuch, Textbuch, int the vocal score of the opera. Recorded at CD Bregenzer Festspiele Koch Schwan 2002

- The Greek Passion – Czech translation of the 2nd version (1957-59), published in the programme brochure of the National Theatre Prague 2006 and in the vocal score of the opera. Recorded at a non-commercial CD from this production.

Dokumentary films on B. Martinů

Navrat z exilu (Out of Exile, Czech TV 1998)
Directed by Jiří Nekvasil, screenplay by Aleš Březina and Jiří Nekvasil. Czech and English versions.

Martinů a Amerika (Martinů and America, Czech TV 2000)
Directed by Jiří Nekvasil, screenplay by Aleš Březina and Jiří Nekvasil. Czech and English versions.

Martinů Symphony Cycle [Šest symfonií Bohuslava Martinů], directed by Adam Rezek, Martin Kubala and Henning Kasten, screenplay by Aleš Březina and Jakub Hrůša, Unitel / Czech TV 2020.

My Life With Bohuslav Martinů [Můj život s Bohuslavem Martinů], directed by Jakub Sommer, expert music advisor, Czech TV / ORF Austria, 2021.

Anne-Kathrin Peitz – Life in the Bugatti Step: The Czech Avant-Garde between the World Wars [Život v rytmu Bugatti-stepu: Česká meziválečná avantgarda],  MDR, ČT 2025. Czech, German and English versions.

Membership in scientific and artistic organizations

- Chairman of the Editorial Board of the Complete Critical Edition of the Works of Bohuslav Martinů – since 2002

- Scientific Council of the National Museum in Prague

- Czech Science Foundation, pannel 409 (regular member 2023-5, chairman from 5/2025)

- Institute of Art History, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic – member of the council

- Year of Czech Music 2024 – Smetana 200 – creative director of the project

- Czech Society for Musicology

- Dvořák Society for Czech and Slovak Music Great Britain

- Viktor Kalabis and Zuzana Růžičková Endowment Fund

- Bohuslav Martinů Circle – member of the Board of Trustees

- Schweizerische Martinů-Gesellschaft

- Bohuslav Martinů Society at the Czech Music Society

 

Previous membership

- Member of the Grant Committee of the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic in 2008-2013 (Department of Arts and Libraries)

- Member of the Selection Committee for the election of the Director General of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra (2012)

- Member of the Board of Trustees of the Music Information Center at the Czech Music Fund (since 1999, Chairman from 2004 to 2007)

- Member of the Artistic Council of the National Theater in Prague (2002–2011)

- Member of the Advisory Board of the Commissioner General of EXPO Aichi 2005 and dramaturge of Czech Day (2002-2005)

- Member of the Artistic Council of the Prague Spring International Music Festival (2002-2009)

- Member of the School Board of the Duncan Centre Prague Dance Conservatory (2006-2013, Chairman 2010-2013)

- Society for Science and Art – member of the Swiss branch

- Viktor Ullmann Institute Committee Cieszyn

- Czech Music Society USA

- Advisory Board, Czech Music 2004 + 2014

- Schweizerische Musikforschende Gesellschaft

Březina is a prolific composer of film, theater, and concert music. www.alesbrezina.cz.

Mgr. Zoja Seyčková

Zoja Seyčková attended a grammar school in Prague and studied information and library science at the Faculty of Arts and Philosophy of Charles University in Prague (state exams in 1989). In 1982 she began working in the technical library at the company ČKD Polovodiče. Following maternity leave from 1994 to 2000, she worked in the information department of the Information Centre of Foundations and Other Non-profit Organisations (http://www.icn.cz, now www.neziskovky.cz) as a librarian and head of the “Database of Financial Sources for Non-profit Organisations” project. She also worked as head of the library at the private University of New York in Prague.

Since 2001 she has been working at the Bohuslav Martinů Institute, where she is responsible for the library and updating of the website. From 2003 she works also as a deputy director. She has participated in several workshops focused on publishing music materials. At a workshop in May 2003 she gave a paper titled “Processing and accessing copies of Bohuslav Martinů’s autographs at the Library of the Bohuslav Martinů Foundation”. She participated in the creation of a new version of the website www.martinu.cz and coordinated a project aimed at displaying the online catalogue of the Library of the Bohuslav Martinů Foundation and the catalogue of Martinů’s works on www.martinu.cz.

On the basis of analyses carried out by musicologists at the Bohuslav Martinů Institute, she created databases for scientific description of Martinů’s correspondence (Martinů’s letters to other persons and letters written by other persons to Martinů) and scientific description of autographs of scores and other music documents written in Martinů’s hand.

Furthermore, she has organised excursions for groups of visitors, schools etc. (for example, within the Open Day), participated in preparations of press conferences for the Bohuslav Martinů Fest annually held in Prague (liaising with journalists and the festival participants), and monitored press reviews. Over the long term, she has trained and coordinated the activities of musicology and library science students gaining specialist experience at the Bohuslav Martinů Institute in work with databases.
 
Since 2004 she has been an chief-editor of the Bohuslav Martinů Newsletter, (from 2009 Martinů Revue) which is published 3 times a year (from 2022 twice a year) in English.

She is also in charge of the website www.martinu.cz and the promotion of the institute, foundation and IMC, and above all information about the life and work of Bohuslav Martinů. She coordinates and controls external workers who publish information and articles on the website and on Facebook, X, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Since 2005 she has been the secretary of the Czech National Section of the International Association of Music Libraries (IAML), participating in foreign conferences annually held by the IAML. At a conference in Gothenburg in 2006 she gave a paper in which she introduced the “Online Catalogue of Bohuslav Martinů Compositions”.

In 2022, she was the main organizational coordinator of the International IAML Congress in Prague, held in the premises of the Municipal and National Library, which was attended by over 300 visitors from all over the world.

She was the PR manager and information specialist of the “Further Education of Music Editors” project (implementation 2006-2008) supported by the European Social Fund. 

Language skills: English, French, passive German, Russian.

 

Mgr. et Mgr. Kateřina Nová, PhD.

Kateřina Nová studied cultural management at Masaryk University in Brno and musicology at Charles University. She is also continuing her doctoral studies here. In addition to her university education, she completed a one-year research stay in Indonesia or a course in museum propaedeutics. She already worked at the Bohuslav Martinů Institute from 2005–2010 and now again from 2022. In the meantime, she worked at the National Museum – Antonín Dvořák Museum as a curator, later deputy head and then as head of the museum. She devotes herself to Czech music of the 19th and 20th centuries, especially the figures of Antonín Dvořák and Bohuslav Martinů, and is also the secretary of the Viktor Kalabis and Zuzana Růžičková Endowment Fund.

Mgr. et Mgr. Marek Pechač

Marek obtained master degrees in Musicology (Palacký University, Olomouc) and Culture Management (Masaryk University, Brno). Presently, he is a PhD student at the Palacký University where he is writing his dissertation on the personality and work of Jan Löwenbach. 

He works at the Bohuslav Martinů Institute since 2010, currently as a coordinator of the source research. He is the co-editor of the Bohuslav Martinů Complete Edition’s volume Quadruple Concertos (Bärenreiter Praha, 2018) and editor of the upcoming volume containing compositions Toccata e due canzoni and Sinfonietta La Jolla (2025).

Mgr. Jitka Zichová

After completing her studies at the Grammar School in Sladkovského Square in Prague in 1996, she began attending the Prague Conservatoire. She studied the oboe in the class of Professor František Xaver Thuri, graduating in 2002. At the same time, she studied at the Faculty of Arts and Philosophy of Charles University (Czech Studies, 1996-1999). Subsequently, she attended the Institute of Musicology of Charles University, from which she graduated in 2007 with a master’s degree after having written her thesis on the topic “Miroslav Venhoda, new madrigal singers, Prague Madrigal Singers and creation for these ensembles”, in which she also paid significant attention to Bohuslav Martinu’s works.

Since graduating, she has performed both as a solo oboist and with numerous orchestras (the South Bohemia Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra Ceské Budejovice, Praga Sinfonietta, the Czech Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra), chamber ensembles (Czech Madrigal Singers, Prague Church Soloists) and choirs (Pueri gaudentes, Prague Singers, University Artistic Ensemble of Charles University Prague).

She has worked on transcriptions and corrections of scores by, for example, O. A. Tichý, F. X. Thuri, etc. (including production of performance materials), participated in the preparation of the scores of several chorales for the complete edition of A. Dvorak’s works. She has also devoted to production activity, especially when it comes to organising sacred music concerts and festive church services (the Podblanice Autumn festival, Svatá Hora u Pribrami, the Royal Premonstratensian Canony at Strahov, the Roman Catholic Parish in Stribro, St Henry – Prague 1, the All Saints Church – Prague Castle).

She has been working in Bohuslav Martinů Institute from 2010, at present as a coordinator of Bohuslav Martinů Complete Edition and musical editor.

Languages: English, German.

Mgr. Martin Ledvinka

Martin works as a musicologist at the Institute since 2011, focusing mainly on development and administration of the Institute’s Online Database of Sources and source-research for the Bohuslav Martinu Complete Edition. He also manages the online store eshop.martinu.cz and supports scholars from around the world reaching the Institute for information concerning their research on Bohuslav Martinů. Next to his musicological career, he works with kids and children’s groups in his project Healing Game (www.healing-game.cz).

Mgr. Natálie Krátká, DiS.

Following her graduation from the Evropská Grammar School in Prague, she enrolled in a musicology course at the Faculty of Arts of Charles University. The Erasmus study programme allowed her to broaden her knowledge of the field at Leipzig University. She also studied classical singing at the Teplice Conservatory (Barbora de Nunes-Cambraia).

She works at the Bohuslav Martinů Institute as a source researcher since 2020. She is currently focused on preparing source materials for the planned monograph Making Real Theatre.

In 2022, she discovered a previously unknown composition by Bohuslav Martinů, Romance for violin and piano, H 186bis (1930), in the National Library of Israel in Jerusalem. In 2025, she became its editor in collaboration with the music publisher Bärenreiter Praha.

She also performs concerts and teaches. Furthermore she writes articles for the music website Opera Plus and publishes scholarly papers in journals such as Knihy a dějiny (Library of the Czech Academy of Sciences) or Martinů Revue (IBM and IMC).

Language skills: English, German – active, Latin – passive

Mgr. Pavel Žůrek, PhD.

Mgr. Pavel Žůrek, Ph.D. (1979) studied musicology at the Faculty of Arts of Masaryk University in Brno. He completed his studies in Brno in 2017 with a doctoral examination. During his studies, he specialized in the music of the Benedictine Order in the Czech lands (especially in the Rajhrad Monastery) and source research of music from the 17th to the 20th century in various institutions (Department of History of Music of the Moravian Museum in Brno, Moravian Library in Brno) with a focus on cooperation with the Répertoire International des Sources Musicales. 

Since 2013 he has been working as a musicologist at Bohuslav Martinů Institute. First of all, as a source researcher, he participated in the creation of a new database of sources and correspondence. Since 2014, he has been working at  institute mainly as an editor of BMCE ( The Bohuslav Martinů Complete Edition). He is a member of the BMCE Editorial Board and author of the volume of the opera Mariken de Nimègue (2023), and co-author of the  volumes of String Quartets II (2017), Quadruple concertos (Concerto for String Quartet and Orchestra, 2018), and Concerto da Camera / Rhapsody Concerto (2019). He is the co-author of a monograph with a critical edition of the correspondence of Bohuslav Martinů and Jan Novák, The Artist Must Never Lose Courage. Jan Novák and Bohuslav Martinů in the Light of the Correspondence (1947-1959) from 2021.


 

Romana Pohořalá