Jindřich Pazdera

After finishing his studies, Jindřich Pazdera developed a rich concert activity. He significantly contributed to the formation and artistic development of the ensemble Young Bratislava Soloists (1984, later renamed to Chamber Soloists Bratislava), where for a few years he was the conductor and artistic director. He performed also in the ensemble Pro Arte Musica Bratislava, until its end in 1990. From 1989 – 2000 he was a soloist of Slovak Sinfonietta Žilina. After moving to Prague he extended his concert activities in chamber music with the Bohemia Trio (1992 – 2004), with which he attended a lot of performances abroad. From 1995 – 2000 he was a soloist of chamber orchestra Solisti di Praga, and since 2001 primarius in The Stamic Quartet. This ensemble presented itself on a tour in USA, Japan, Great Britain, Germany and other European countries. This ensemble imprinted themselves on the minds of the audience by their own concert cycle within the Euroart Festival (in cooperation with Music and Dance Faculty of Academy of Performing Arts in Prague) called Stamic Quartet and Guests. From October until May they played concerts together with significant chamber ensembles in renowned Prague concert halls. Pazdera was a soloist of the ensemble Masterplayers (Switzerland, 1986), with which he toured in USA. In 1993 he performed in Japan, a year later in South Korea. Pazdera performed with many significant orchestras, but he also stays in artistic touch with Slovak Sinfonietta Žilina. Their cooperation started with a performance together in Spain in 1980. They recorded a CD and performed in, in addition to others, Germany and Belgium. As a soloist he recorded for Czech and Slovak Radio and also television. Thanks to him the recording of Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante for three string instruments (vn, vl, vc) and orchestra was created. On the basis of manuscript fragments he reconstructed this composition and his version was offered as a world premiere in concert performance and also on CD (1991).

He artistically cooperated with piano partners Václav Mácha, Stanislav Bogunia and Izumi Shimura; in Slovakia he performed with Ľudovít Marcinger, Marián Lapšanský, Milan Ivan, Cyril Dianovský. In Czech Republic he performs within the chamber cycle of Czech Philharmonic. As a soloist he has cooperated with the following orchestras: Slovak Philharmonic, Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra, State Philharmonic Košice, Slovak Sinfonietta Žilina, Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra, Budapest Symphony Orchestra, Thuringen Sinfonieorchester, Saint Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, Solisti di Praga. At concert stages he met conductors Zdeněk Bílek, Ondrej Lenárd, Josef Koutník, Joseph Helperin, Carl Melles, Peter Lücker, Libor Pešek and Otakar Trhlík. So far he has performed in more than 1400 solo concerts in many European countries, USA, South Korea and Japan. Many times he has performed in significant concert halls, for example in The Munich Philharmonics, Saint Petersburg Philharmonia, Auditorio Nacional in Barcelona, Wigmore Hall in London, Izumi Hall in Osaka, Kioi Hall in Tokio and also in Cuba. From festivals let us mention at least Prague Spring, Interforum Keszthélyi, Music Autumn Kiev, Boksagol Festival Seoul, Vlaanderen Festival in Belgium, Fayence Festival in France, and Vlaanderen Haydn-Bienale in Belgium (2004).

He recorded five of his own albums and cooperated in many others. In Slovak Radio he recorded the complete works of Franz Schubert (2001 – 2003).

In addition to concert activities Pazdera is intensively devoted to educational activity. First, he was a teacher at Music School Exnárová in Bratislava (1979 – 1983), later at Bratislava Conservatory (1983 – 1995), since 1984 until 1989 as a head of String Department) and at Academy of Performing Arts (1989 – 1995). As a pedagogue of the Conservatory in Bratislava in 1984 he founded orchestra Chamber Soloists Bratislava, where he was a leader until 1997. Because of his teaching at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (since 1991; since 1996 assistant professor of violin) and at Conservatory in Prague (since 1993) he moved to Prague. There he teaches, records, performs, but he still connects pedagogically and musically to Slovakia. Since 1993 he leads Violin Master Classes in his native Žilina, that are made in the style of “open lessons” of Russian music schools.

He published (or translated) a number of theoretical methodical publications. At the initiative of The Czech Music Society he initiated the establishment of International Summer Courses for Young Violinists (1987). Courses take place in Písek (Czech Republic, the beginning of July), Pazdera works there as a lecturer as well as concert artist. He is also frequent guest of master classes at home and abroad. Among his successful students who have received major awards in domestic and foreign competitions are many well-known names, let us mention at least Slovak Veronika Pešková-Jarůšková.

Jindřich Pazdera is holder of the Frico Kafenda Award for outstanding interpretation of Slovak violin works (1985) and in 1990 – 1992 was a member of Slovak Parliament in the field of culture.