Piano Soirée and Jan Jiraský

During his studies at the Janáček Academy of Music and Performing Arts (JAMU), Jan Jiraský became a laureate of numerous multi-round international piano competitions both in the Czech Republic and abroad. At the age of twenty, he recorded a Smetana-themed album for the Musica Vienna label and was invited to make his debut recital with the Czech Philharmonic. This marked the beginning of his frequent appearances at leading festivals, including Moravian Autumn, Prague Spring, Young Prague, Smetana’s Litomyšl, Janáček May, and Janáček Brno, as well as concert tours around the world.

Throughout his career, he has performed 29 piano concertos, collaborating with dozens of prominent conductors, such as Arming, Bělohlávek, Bostock, Ceccato, Emilsson, and Hrůša. His recital at the Teatro Nacional São Carlos in Lisbon was broadcast by twelve European radio stations. In 2000, he was awarded the prestigious Classic Prize of the Czech Music Fund.

Jiraský has recorded Janáček’s complete piano works twice, including a performance on the composer’s own Ehrbar piano (1876), receiving critical acclaim from Musicweb International, Record Geijutsu, Asahi Shimbun, Opus Musicum, Harmonie, and Hudební rozhledy. He also gained recognition for his performances of all 18 Mozart sonatas, played over four recitals on a period instrument, as well as Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier, which he has presented in venues such as Dvořák Hall at the Rudolfinum (2007), the Brno Philharmonic (2015), and Beijing National Orchestra Hall (2017).

In the past two years, Jiraský has given recitals in Brno, Bratislava, Calgary, Edmonton, Fukuyama, Hiroshima, and Tokyo, and has performed piano concertos with orchestras both in the Czech Republic and internationally, under the batons of J. Klecker, F. Merz, R. Kružík, and M. Ivanović. In 2024, he was awarded the Janáček Foundation Medal for his exceptional contribution to the interpretation of Janáček’s music.

Jiraský serves as a jury member in international competitions and is a full professor at JAMU, where he leads the Department of Piano Performance and serves on the Academic Senate of the Faculty of Music.

source: Jan Jiraský

Jan Kmenta (*2007) completed his studies at the Elementary School of Arts in Hodonín under the guidance of MgA. Marie Jakabová. He is currently a second-year student at the Brno Conservatory, studying piano in the class of MgA. Dominik Gál, Ph.D. He regularly participates in the International Interpretation Courses at the Janáček Academy of Music and Performing Arts (JAMU) in Brno, working with Prof. Alena Vlasáková and Prof. Jan Jiraský, Ph.D.

Jan has achieved numerous successes in both solo and chamber music. Among his accolades are first prize in the National Round of the Ministry of Education Competition, first prize in the Antonín Dvořák for Young Performers Competition, and second prize in the Pro Bohemia Competition.

source: Jan Jiraský

Matej Šabík (*2002) began his piano studies at the Elementary School of Arts in Sereď, Slovakia, under MgA. Daniela Belancová, ArtD. He continued his education at the Brno Conservatory (under MgA. Eva Horáková) and is currently a first-year student at JAMU, studying in the piano classes of Prof. Alena Vlasáková and Prof. Jan Jiraský.

Matej is a laureate of numerous piano competitions. In recent years, he has won awards at the two-round International Brno Piano Competition and the three-round Smetana Piano Competition 2023, where he performed Beethoven’s Third Piano Concerto with the Pilsen Philharmonic in the final round. In 2024, he gave multiple performances of Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto in B Minor with symphony orchestras.

source: Jan Jiraský

Kento Satsuma (*2002) began playing the piano at the age of three and the violin at eight. From 2017 to 2020, he studied conducting, piano, and violin at the Kyoto Horikawa Conservatory, where he had his first significant opportunities, conducting the Kyoto Civic Philharmonic and the Kyoto Chamber Orchestra. As a pianist, he became a laureate of the Japan Classical Music Competition and the Takarazuka Vega Piano Competition, and performed at the Kobe Festival.

Since 2020, he has been studying piano at JAMU under Prof. Jan Jiraský and conducting under Prof. Rostislav Hališka and Assoc. Prof. Jakub Klecker. In 2022, he conducted the Moravian Philharmonic Olomouc, performing works by Mozart, Schumann, Janáček, and Kubín. That same year, he showcased his dual expertise by performing Mendelssohn’s Piano Concerto in G Minor as both pianist and conductor. His Prague performance of Beethoven’s Fifth Piano Concerto, which he conducted from the piano with the Prague Chamber Philharmonic, was met with enthusiastic acclaim. He also won third prize at the three-round International Leoš Janáček Piano Competition.

In 2023, he performed Dvořák’s Piano Quintet No. 2 with the Stamic Quartet and participated in the Young Prague International Music Festival, where he appeared as both a pianist and conductor, leading the North Bohemian Philharmonic in Dvořák Hall at the Rudolfinum.

In 2024, he performed in the Young Blood cycle of the Brno Philharmonic, and his piano recital featuring rarely performed works by Smetana, presented as part of Smetanománie in Pilsen, received great acclaim. He is currently preparing for piano performances with the Ostrava and Olomouc Philharmonic Orchestras and is engaged in conducting Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro as an assistant to Václav Luks.

source: Jan Jiraský