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Josef Špaček

Violin
Artistic Partner, Czech Philharmonic

  • Praised for his remarkable range of colours, his confident and concentrated stagepresence, his virtuosity and technical poise as well as the beauty of his tone, Josef Špaček has gradually emerged as one of the leading violinists of his generation. His performances of a wide range of repertoire demonstrate his 'astonishing articulation and athleticism' (The Scotsman) and 'a richness and piquancy of timbre' (The Telegraph).


    In the 2022/2023 season Josef Špaček will perform with the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, WDR Sinfonieorchester, SWR-Symphonieorchester, Robert-Schumann-Philharmonie and Bochumer Symphoniker.

  • Für seine beeindruckende Klangästhetik, konzentriert-packende Bühnenpräsenz und technisch-virtuosen Fähigkeiten gepriesen, erspielte sich Josef Špaček eine führende Position unter den Geigern seiner Generation. Seine Interpretationen des umfangreichen Violinrepertoires wurden für ihre „erstaunliche Artikulation und Athletik“ (The Scotsman) sowie „Fülle und Würze im Timbre“ (The Telegraph) gelobt.


    In der Saison 2022/2023 wird Josef Špaček u.a. mit dem Deutschen Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, WDR Sinfonieorchester, SWR-Symphonieorchester, Robert-Schumann-Philharmonie und Bochumer Symphoniker in Deutschland zu erleben sein.

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  • He appears with orchestras including the Bamberg Symphony, Rundfunk- Sinfonieorchester Berlin, Konzerthausorchester Berlin, Kammerakademie Potsdam, Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, Orchestre de Paris, Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg, Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della RAI Torino, Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra and Shanghai Symphony Orchestra. He collaborates with eminent conductors such as Manfred Honeck, Jakub Hrůša, Semyon Bychkov, Jiří Bělohlávek, David Zinman, Krzysztof Urbański, Thomas Adès, James Conlon, Michael Sanderling, Thomas Søndergård, Eliahu Inbal, Tomáš Netopil or Cornelius Meister.


    Josef Špaček equally enjoys giving recitals and playing chamber music, and is a regular guest at festivals and in concert halls throughout Europe (among others at the Rudolfinum in Prague, the Konzerthaus in Vienna, the Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ in Amsterdam, the Kronberg Academy, the Verbier and Rosendal Festivals and at Schloss Elmau), Asia and the USA (among others at Kennedy Center, Washington D.C., 92Y in New York, La Jolla in San Diego, the ChamberFest Cleveland and the Nevada Chamber Music Festival).


    Supraphon released a highly praised recording of Dvořák and Janáček Violin Concertos, and Fantasy of Suk, with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Jiří Bělohlávek. The Sunday Times wrote 'The violinist’s individual, deeply considered and virtuosic account of Dvořák’s solo part is the highlight of this keenly conceived programme', adding that 'in this repertoire, Špaček is second to none today.' It was the Recording of the Week of The Sunday Times, Recording of the Month & of the Year of MusicWeb International, and received ★★★★★ in Diapason. Other recordings to date are a recital disc with works for violin and piano by Smetana, Janáček and Prokofiev with pianist Miroslav Sekera on Supraphon, works for violin solo and violin and piano by H.W. Ernst on Naxos, and an early CD with the complete Sonatas for Solo Violin by Eugène Ysaÿe.


    Josef Špaček studied with Itzhak Perlman at The Juilliard School in New York, Ida Kavafian and Jaime Laredo at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, and with Jaroslav Foltýn at the Prague Conservatory. He was laureate of the International Queen Elisabeth Competition in Brussels, and won top prizes at the Michael Hill International Violin Competition in New Zealand, the Carl Nielsen International Violin Competition in Denmark and the Young Concert Artists International Auditions in New York.


    He served as concertmaster of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, the youngest in its history, and gave up the positon in order to devote himself exclusively to his solo career.


    Josef Špaček performs on the ca. 1732 LeBrun; Bouthillard Guarneri del Gesù violin, generously on loan from Ingles & Hayday.

  • Zu den Höhepunkten der letzten Spielzeiten zählen Debüts bei den Bamberger Symphonikern, Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, hr-Sinfonieorchester, Deutsche Radio Philharmonie, Konzerthausorchester Berlin, Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, Orchestre de Paris, Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg, Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della RAI Torino, Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, Helsinki Philharmonic  Orchestra, Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra und Shanghai Symphony Orchestra unter Dirigenten wie Manfred Honeck, Jakub Hrůša, Semyon Bychkov, Jiří Bělohlávek, David Zinman, Pietari Inkinen, Petr Popelka, Cristian Măcelaru, Krzysztof Urbański, Thomas Adès, James Conlon, Michael Sanderling, Thomas Søndergård, Eliahu Inbal, Cornelius Meister oder Tomáš Netopil.


    Auch mit Solorecitals und als Kammermusiker ist Josef Špaček sehr gefragt und konzertierte bereits im Wiener Konzerthaus, Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ in Amsterdam, Rudolfinum Prag sowie bei den Festivals in Évian, Verbier und Bad Kissingen. Außerdem war er Gast bei diversen Veranstaltern in Asien und den USA: darunter das Kennedy Center, Washington D.C., 92Y in New York, La Jolla in San Diego, ChamberFest Cleveland und Nevada Chamber Music Festival.


    Mit der Tschechischen Philharmonie spielte er unter der Leitung von Jiří Bělohlávek die Violinkonzerte von Dvořák und Janáček, sowie die Fantasie von Suk ein (Supraphon) – „in diesem Repertoire ist Špaček heute unübertroffen,“ befand die Sunday Times. Weitere Einspielungen widmen sich dem tschechischen Violinrepertoire und bspw. sämtlichen Solosonaten von Ysaÿe. Aktuell arbeitet er an einer neuen Solo-CD mit Werken von Szymanowski, Martinů und Strawinsky und an einer Einspielung sämtlicher Violinkonzerte von Martinů mit dem Prager Rundfunkorchester unter der Leitung von Petr Popelka.


    Josef Špaček studierte bei Itzhak Perlman an der Juilliard School in New York, bei Ida Kavafian und Jaime Laredo am Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia sowie bei Jaroslav Foltýn am Prager Konservatorium. Er war Preisträger des Internationalen Königin-Elisabeth-Wettbewerbs in Brüssel und gewann Spitzenpreise beim Internationalen Michael Hill Violinwettbewerb in Neuseeland, beim Internationalen Carl Nielsen Violinwettbewerb in Dänemark und bei den Young Concert Artists International Auditions in New York. Ehemals jüngster Konzertmeister der Tschechischen Philharmonie, widmet er sich seit 2020 ausschließlich seiner Solokarriere.


    Josef Špaček spielt auf der Violine “LeBrun; Bouthillard” (ca. 1732) von Guarneri del Gesù, einer großzügigen Leihgabe von Ingles & Hayday.

Performances

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Concerto Repertoire

Adams: Concerto for Violin
Bach: Concerto 2 Violins in D minor, BWV 1043
Bach: Concerto A minor, BWV 1041
Barber: Concerto for Violin, Op. 14
Bartók: Violin Concerto no. 2, Sz 112 (from Autumn 2022)
Beethoven: Concerto for Violin in D major, Op. 61
Beethoven: Romance for Violin and Orchestra no 1 in G major, Op. 40
Beethoven: Concerto for Violin, Cello and Piano in C major, Op. 56
Berg: Concerto for Violin “To the memory of an angel” (from Spring 2022)
Brahms: Concerto for Violin in D major, Op. 77
Brahms: Concerto for Violin and Cello in A minor, Op. 102 "Double"
Bruch: Concerto for Violin no 1 in G minor, Op. 26
Bruch: Scottish Fantasy for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 46
Dvořák: Concerto for Violin in A minor, Op. 53
Dvořák: Romance for Violin and Orchestra in F minor, Op. 11
Dvořák: Mazurek for Violin and Orchestra in E minor, Op. 49
Glass: Concerto for Violin no. 1
Fibich: Concert Polonaise
Janáček: Concerto for Violin “The Wandering of a Little Soul”
Korngold: Concerto for Violin (from Spring 2023)
Lalo: Symphonie espagnole for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 21
Martinů: Concerto for Violin no. 1, H. 226
Martinů: Concerto for Violin no 2, H. 293
Mendelssohn: Concerto for Violin in E minor, Op. 64
Mendelssohn: Concerto for Violin and Strings in D minor
Mendelssohn: Concerto for Violin and Piano D minor
Mozart: Concerto for Violin no 3 in G major, K 216
Mozart: Concerto for Violin no 5 in A major, K 219 "Turkish"
Mozart: Sinfonia concertante for Violin and Viola in E flat major, K 364 (320d)
Nielsen: Concerto for Violin, Op. 33
Paganini: Concerto no 1 in D major, Op. 6
Pärt: Fratres
Piazzolla/Desyatnikov: Four Seasons of Buenos Aires
Prokofiev: Concerto for Violin no 1 in D major, Op. 19
Prokofiev: Concerto for Violin no 2 in G minor, Op. 63
Ravel: Tzigane
Respighi: Concerto gregoriano
Schubert: Rondo A major, D 438
Shostakovich: Concerto for Violin no 1 in A minor, Op. 77
Sibelius: Concerto for Violin in D minor, Op. 47
Stamitz: Symphonie Concertante for Violin and Viola in D major
Stravinsky: Concerto for Violin in D major
Suk: Fantasy, Op. 24
Tubin: Concerto no 1 in D major for Violin and Orchestra (1942) (from mid-2023)
Vieuxtemps: Concerto for Violin no 5 in A minor, Op. 37 "Grétry"
Vivaldi: Concerto for 2 Violins in A minor, Op. 3 no 8/RV 522
Vivaldi: Concerto for 4 Violins and Cello in B minor, Op. 3, no 10/RV 580
Vivaldi: Concerto for 2 Violins and Cello in D minor, Op. 3 no 11/RV 565
Vivaldi: Concertos for Violin, Op. 8 no 1-4 "Le quattro stagioni"
Tchaikovsky: Concerto for Violin in D major, Op. 35
Tchaikovsky: Mélodie for Violin and Orchestra in E flat major
Tchaikovsky: Valse-scherzo in C major, Op. 34
Vaughan-Williams: The Lark Ascending
Waxman: Carmen Fantasy for Violin and Orchestra
Wieniawski: Concerto No 2 in D minor, Op. 22
Wieniawski: Polonaise brillante no 1 in D major, Op. 4

Conductors

Anja Bihlmaier
Semyon Bychkov
James Conlon
Maxim Emelyanychev
James Gaffigan
Manfred Honeck
Jakub Hrůša
Eliahu Inbal
Pietari Inkinen
Lio Kuokman
Cristian Măcelaru
Gergely Madaras
Jun Märkl
Cornelius Meister
Tomáš Netopil
Petr Popelka
Kristiina Poska
Michael Sanderling
Aziz Shokhakimov
Vassily Sinaisky
Thomas Søndergård
Michel Tabachnik
Krzysztof Urbański
Joshua Weilerstein
Kazuki Yamad

'With pure tone and a gutsy lower register, the cooly contained Špaček combined fluent technique with expressive finesse...'

The Guardian, 2015

'The sound of Špačekʼs Guarneri del Gesù filled the hall with a transcendent luster, achingly beautiful and touching to the point of tears'

Bachtrack, 2020

'...the soloist of the evening steals the show. Violinist Josef Špaček spices up Antonín Dvořák's Violin Concerto op. 53 with that pinch of musical exuberance that is so difficult to achieve...'

Neue Zürcher Zeitung, 2021

Intermusica represents Josef Špaček in Germany, Austria and Switzerland

Dennis Gerlach
Senior Artist Manager, Munich
+44 20 7608 9919
dgerlach@intermusica.com






If you have any queries, please fill in the form below, and we will be in touch soon

All artists

Chansonnier

HK Gruber

Counter-tenor

Tim Mead

Piano accompanist

Roger Vignoles