Artistic CV PCT members
was born on 15th January 1971 in Prague. Since his childhood, he showed extraordinary musical talent; when he was five, he started to play the cello – first under prof. J. Pražák, later at the Prague Conservatory under prof. JUDr. P. Sádlo. He continued in his studies at Music Academy of Prague under doc. R. Lojda. When he was in his last year of studies, he played as tutti musician in Brucknerorchestr in Linz (Austria). He also participated at different master classes with: A.Ariscuren, M. Roche, P. Wiespelway, A. May, F. Smetana, E. Rattay and J.Chuchro during his studies. He was awarded with laureate title at the Beethoven Competition in Hradec and he was a finalist at the Prix Mercury – Semmering Competition 1994.
In between 1994 – 2000, Tomáš Strašil played as a concert master in the Suk
Chamber Orchestra. In cooperation with Josef Suk and SCO he recorded his first CD of Cello Concert in C major by Joseph Haydn. He performed as soloist at various significant festivals and cooperated with prominent Czech Orchestras (North Bohemian Philharmonic orchestra of Teplice, Philharmonic orchestra of Hradec Králové, Musici di Praga and others). He also taught at the Conservatory of Teplice at that time. He recorded chamber compositions by A. Dvořák for cello and piano.
Tomáš Strašil interprets not only on a soloist basis, but also as a member of chamber ensembles. He prefers to combine instruments of various colours; eg. flute - piano - cello or guitar - cello (Duo della corde). Since 2000 he has been acting as the professor of Prague Conservatory. He plays the following instruments signed: "Pietro Zanetto di
Brescia 1686" and "Andreas Carolus Leeb fecit Viennae 1818 No. 3".
Robert Pacourek ( was born in 1967 in Strakonice). He started playing the clarinet in the class of Professor B. Zakostelecký at the Elementary School of Arts in Strakonice when he was 9 years old. After finishing secondary school he was accepted into the National Conservatoire in Prague, the class of Professor J. Starek, where he graduated in 1993.
He started teaching during his studies and he worked with the "Bohemia" symphony orchestra in Poděbrady. In 1994 he founded the chamber trio "Musici Bohemiense" (piano, clarinet, cello), which gave a number of concerts, and made recordings for Czech Radio. During 1995 and 1996 he actively participated in the music courses of the "German Mozart Society" in Augsburg, Bavaria. He does not focus on classical music genres alone, but he also devotes his time to folk music.
In the period 1999-2004 Robert Pacourek collaborated with the pianist Karel Prokop, Professor of the Prague Conservatoire. They have jointly performed plenty of concerts both in Prague and in other region of the Czech Republic. Their collaboration resulted in their CD album entitled “Clarinet Recital“ which came into being in 2001 and which contains notable titles from the 19th and 20th century clarinet literature. The soprano Ivana Török also participated in this project.
R. Pacourek has been co-operating with a piano player Daniel Wiesner since the spring 2004.Together they have realized a lot of home and foreign concerts in Sophia and Budapest. And also together with a soprano Klára Novotná they established an ensemble “Trio con Canto”.
R. Pacourek together with an agency SP Production have been holding summer concerts “ Around the South Bohemia Castles ” since 2004.
He published his second album in May 2007 “A Clarinet of the 19th and 20th century”. It consists of important clarinet and piano pieces from the romantic period (R. Schumann, J. Brahms), impressionism (C. Debussy) and the music of the 20th century (J. Palenicek, M. Arnold).Recently R.Pacourek has given himself to his pedagogic and concert work and has also co-operated with a number of important Czech artists. He is the art manager of chamber ensemble "Prague chamber trio" which he performs with professors of the Prague Conservatory the pianist Michal Rezek and the cellist Tomáš Strašil. This trio followed the activity of ensemble "Musici Bohemiense" from the mid 90's of the 20th century and performs at concerts all over the Czech Republic. In December 2011 performed at prestigious international musical festival "Czech Touches of Music".
Robert Pacourek actively participated 3. European clarinet festival in Belgian Gent which was held by European clarinet association in January 2013.
Robert Pacourek plays the clarinet brand Selmer Privilege and mouthpiece Selmer CP 100 /125.He play reeds by company Vandoren type Clasique and Rue Lepic 56 hardness third.
Translation Ivana Kolínská