■ ​P R O G R A M

Leoš Janáček

On an Overgrown Path, 1st Series                                 Piano David Kalhous

      II. Lístek odvanutý (A Blown-Away Leaf)

      V. Štěbetaly jak laštovičky (They Chattered Like Swallows)

String Quartet No. 1 "Kreutzer Sonata"                           Arete String Quartet

I. Adagio - Con moto

II. Con moto

III. Con moto - Vivo - Andante

IV. Con moto - (Adagio) - Più mosso

Sonata 1.X. 1905, "From the Street"                                Piano David Kalhous

      I. Předtucha (Presentiment)

      II. Smrt (Death)

INTERMISSION

Antonín Dvořák                       

Piano Quintet No. 2 in A major, Op. 81      Piano David Kalhous, Arete String Quartet

I. Allegro ma non tanto

II. Dumka: Andante con moto

III. Scherzo (Furiant): Molto vivace

IV. Finale: Allegro
 
 
 
 ■ P R O F I L E

David Kalhous l Pianist
 David Kalhous has gained international recognition for his elegant musicianship, brilliant pianism, probing intelligence, and engaging programming. With a repertoire spanning three centuries, he is equally at home with music from Scarlatti and Bach to Beethoven and Chopin, as well as Ligeti and Feldman.

His critically acclaimed debut at the Prague Spring Festival led to invitations at notable venues such as Symphony Space, Bargemusic, and Spectrum in New York City; PianoForte Foundation and WFMT radio in Chicago; the Czech Philharmonic Chamber Music Society; and the International Royal Cracow Piano Festival. He has also performed at leading universities including Northwestern, Yale, and the University of Chicago.

Recent orchestral collaborations include Bernstein's The Age of Anxiety with the Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra under Stefan Asbury, Brahms' D Minor Concerto with the North Bohemia Symphony Orchestra, and Beethoven's Third and Fifth Piano Concerti with the Chamber Philharmonia Pardubice. He has appeared as a soloist with the Israel Symphony Orchestra, Prague Philharmonia, and Prague Symphony Orchestra FOK, working with conductors such as Libor Pešek and Marián Valčuha.

David Kalhous has recorded for Czech Radio and Television, with performances broadcast on WFMT Chicago and other stations. He authored and hosted a series of radio programs on piano music for Classic FM in Prague and was featured in a documentary on Czech Television.

He recently recorded 12 sonatas by Scarlatti for Czech Radio's Complete Scarlatti Sonatas project and a solo CD featuring sonatas by Beethoven, Janáček, and Liszt for the Arco Diva label. With violinist Benjamin Sung, he presented the complete works of Beethoven for piano and violin. In the 2023–24 season, he will make his recital debuts at the Beethoven Festival in North Bohemia and Festival Český Krumlov.

Kalhous's interest in contemporary music has led to collaborations with composers who have written works for him. He was the first pianist to perform Ligeti's Études Book I and Feldman's For Bunita Marcus in Prague. His project "Piano Music from Prague" features commissioned works by leading Czech composers. In the 2023–24 season, he will premiere a new piano work by Pedram Diba as part of the Sounds of Freedom project.

He began his studies at the Prague Conservatory and attended institutions such as the Hochschule für Musik in Vienna, Academy of Arts in Prague, Tel-Aviv University, and Yale University, studying with distinguished teachers including Paul Badura-Skoda, Peter Frankl, and Ursula Oppens. He holds a Doctor of Music degree from Northwestern University.

David Kalhous lives in New York City and is Professor of Piano at Florida State University College of Music.
 
 
 
 Arete Quartet
 In May 2021, the Arete Quartet made history as the first Korean ensemble to win 1st place in the string quartet category at the Prague Spring International Music Competition, also earning all five special awards. Their victory was remarkable not only for securing 1st place with no second place awarded but also as a groundbreaking achievement for a chamber ensemble, especially in their first competition since forming.

In 2022, the Arete Quartet earned a special award at Germany’s prestigious ARD International Music Competition. In February 2023, they won 1st place in the string quartet category at the 15th Mozart International Competition, also receiving the Best Interpretation Award for Mozart quartets. In April 2024, they again made history as the first Korean group to win at the 19th Lyon International Chamber Music Competition, where they claimed a total of six awards.

The Arete Quartet strives to capture the essence of music through their performances, with their name, "Arete," derived from ancient Greek, meaning the "true purpose" and the pursuit of one’s highest potential.

Formed in September 2019, the Arete Quartet quickly gained recognition, passing the Kumho Art Hall’s Young Chamber Concert audition and making their debut at Kumho Art Hall Yonsei in September 2020. In April 2022, they appeared as masters on the KBS music program Salon de Quartet, where their lectures and performances received critical acclaim. Following their first major concert, Grand Debut, at the IBK Chamber Hall at the Seoul Arts Center, they continue to perform actively on both domestic and international stages, carrying forward their mission of "Arete."

Members:

·          Violin: Jeon Chae-an, Park Eun-jung

·          Viola: Jang Yoon-seon

·          Cello: Park Seong-hyun