The Viktor Kalabis and Zuzana Růžičková Foundation

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The Viktor Kalabis and Zuzana Růžičková Foundation, based in the United States, is dedicated to two remarkable people whose partnership played central roles at the heart of Czech music for more than 50 years. Living in Prague, Zuzana and Viktor refused to join the Communist Party and faced endless adversities, yet they achieved enormous international success.

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Please visit our sister foundation in Prague to learn about its concerts and activities.

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Violinist Tsukushi Sasaki from Japan wins the 2024 Viktor Kalabis and Zuzana Růžičková Prize at the Prague Spring Music Festival.

Tsukushi Sasaki, born in Tokyo, began to play the violin at the age of three. She studied at Tokyo University of the Arts with Prof. Natsumi Tamai and took private lessons with Ms. Reiko Watanabe. Since April 2023, she has continued her studies at Musikhochschule Lübeck, Germany, with Prof. Heime Müller. See NEWS.

Watch the 2024 finalists on YouTube.

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Violist Sào Soulez Larivière, a French and Dutch national resident in Berlin, wins the 2023 Foundation’s prize at the Prague Spring Music Festival. May 2023 at the Rudolfinum concert hall, Prague. NEWS. Clarinetist Lilian Lefebvre from France wins the 2022 Foundation’s prize at the Prague Spring Music Festival Competition. NEWS The 2021 winner, the Arete Quartet, performed Kalabis at the Prague Spring Music Festival. NEWS.

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NEW RELEASE: Remarkable old radio recordings of Viktor’s early composition have been found and are now being released as CDs by Supraphon. These compositions, with beautiful romantic sections, provide fresh insights to Viktor’s music development. Janáček Philharmonic Ostrava, Viktor Kalabis Viktor Kalabis / Composer & Conductor

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NEW RELEASE: 2023 Prague Spring Competition winner Lilian Lefebvre (clarinet), together with Vincent Martinet (piano) release their first CD, including a marvelous Kalabis Sonata for Clarinet and Piano. See NEWS.

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OPUS KLASSIK 2203 Award
Concert Recording – Mahan Esfahani, Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra. Harpsichord Concertos

Hyperion records – Mahan Esfahani
Martinů, Krása & Kalabis: Harpsichord Concertos. Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra, Alexander Liebreich (conductor) CDA68397 – 034571283975 Wonderful reviews – The Guardian and Gramaphone — See NEWS.

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A superb performance – Viktor Kalabis’s Canticum Canticorum – at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, New York City. Maestro Kent Tritle conducted the Musica Sacra Chorus and Orchestra, with contralto Nicole Joy Mitchell and tenor John Riesen.

Maestro Tritle noted: “The Cathedral was packed for this performance. The Czech Consul General Arnošt Kareš eloquently set the stage with a heartfelt and inspiring oration before the performance. After the performance, a toast to the great Czech composer Kalabis was made in the massive Gothic space, and a sense of celebration was keen. The concert began with Prayer for Ukraine by Lysenko, and included works of Brahms, the Te Deum of Pärt and a world premiere by the composer Wang Jie.

“Viktor Kalabis’ Canticum Canticorum is a cantata in the great spiritual tradition of Bach and Buxtehude. A frequent feature of those earlier cantatas was dialogue between vocal soloists, often in the form of a duet. Another feature was the presence of the chorus, usually framing the cantata as bookends and set in a way that enhanced the musical architecture of the piece. Kalabis has done that with his Canticum Canticorum. In this case, highly dramatic writing for contralto and tenor soloists brings the highly evocative and sensual text to life. Music for chorus punctuates key moments in the through-composed drama, and keen orchestration highlights the emotional texture from beginning to end. Of special note is the incorporation of five heraldic trumpet fanfares, which also highlight the superb form of this masterwork."

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Watch the award-winning film — Zuzana: Music Is Life on Apple TV (just put ZUZANA in the search box) and direct on these links on AppleTV/iTunes in the United States – in the United Kingdom – in Germany – in Japan.

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Viktor composed a number of pieces for Zuzana and none was more testing than one recorded for the film – Zuzana: Music Is Life – so enjoy this introduction by Zuzana to Viktor’s CANONIC INVENTIONS.