News & Reviews

  Mahan Esfahani’s first concerto album for Hyperion is everything the listener could wish for: definitive performances of three marvelous—and unexpected—works by three of the last century’s Czech masters - Bohuslav Martinů, Hans Krása, and Viktor Kalabis. In an introduction to this new CD (release - February 2023), Mr. Esfahani writes: Of the three works on this recording—indeed, of all modern harpsichord works—Viktor Kalabis’s 1975 Koncert pro cembalo a smyčcový orchestr, Op 42, is the most personal. It certainly has an intense personal connection for me—I was, after all, the last student of the work’s dedicatee, who was herself the wife of…

ADAWITCZYK.COM –is delighted that our partnership continues with the Victor Kalabis & Zuzana Ruzickova Foundation and we’re honored to name our competition in her memory. Celebrating the life and career of one of the world’s leading harpsichordists Zuzana Ruzickova and her invaluable role in promoting pieces by modern composers on period instruments. For the 2022 competition, we asked for a chamber music composition for baroque violin, baroque flute, viola da gamba, and harpsichord of between 4-6 minutes duration (please see full competition rules). 2022 Winners Susie Vaughan La Conversation Enchantée et Galante   and Isidro Albarreal El Gorrión (The Sparrow) Susie…

In his article, Bach Was a Musician’s Companion to Tragedy, The New York Times' Michael Beckerman reviews the memoir retelling Zuzana Růžičková's life story - “Zuzana: Music Is Life”. Read the complete article here.

An award-winning documentary produced and directed by Harriet and Peter Getzels, Executive Producers, Emily Vogl, Frank Vogl and William R. Rhodes in loving memory of Louise Tilzer Rhodes. The sponsor of the film is The Viktor Kalabis & Zuzana Ruzickova Foundation with generous support from good friends. The Foundation aims to secure as wide public screening of this award-winning film as possible, in the United States and across the world. If you would like more information about screening the film at a conference, a school, a university or music conservatory, in an arts or other cultural institution, a historical society or…

Spain. June 7, 2018 --- recital at the Centro Cultural Las Clarisas de Elche, Valencia, Spain. Svetlana Tovstukha, cello and Eduard V. Agullo guitar, performed a program that included Viktor Kalabis's Reminiszenzen Op. 46 for guitar.

Sunday Feature  March 15, 2015:  From the "skeletons copulating on a tin roof" jibes of conductor Sir Thomas Beecham to its unfavourable characterisation as the ideal instrument of the Addams Family, the harpsichord is an often misunderstood instrument - sometimes dividing audiences. Harpsichord virtuoso Mahan Esfahani heads off on a personal journey to uncover the instrument's chequered history, why the people who play it are not always its best advocates, and how this ancient instrument has a very modern face too. He heads to Prague to meet his mentor, 88 year old Czech harpsichord maestro Zuzana Ružicková and visits the workshop of…

Supraphon releases a box set of Viktor Kalabis's (1923-2006) symphonies and concertos that now join multi-disc sets from MSR Classics and Praha Digitals. Supraphon also releases two sets of double CDs of performances by Zuzana Růžičková - a wide-ranging "Homage" to the "First Lade of the Harpsichord" and works from England, Spain and Portugal. Viktor Kalabis's symphonies and concertos - the legacy of a distinct composer and a fraught era! SU 4109-2. Symphony No. 2 "Sinfonia pacis", Op 18; Symphony No. 3, Op. 33; Symphonic Variations, Op. 24; Concerto for Large Orchestra, Op. 25. Violin Concerto No. 1, Op. 17;…

From the Dvorak Society: Zuzana Růžičková is world famous as a harpsichordist, with many prizes, honours and hundreds of recordings to her credit – not least the complete works of Bach on disc which she values most.  She is well-known to and loved by many of our members.  An important jubilee – her remarkable 85th.birthday – fell on 14th.January this year.  Last year, on 27th.July, she received the Charles IV Cultural Prize in Aachen, Germany, an honour which is only bestowed on the most important personalities.  At the ceremony she made a memorable speech in which she spoke of her…