Karel Martínek - Organ

Programm:

J. S. Bach: Toccata a fuga in D minor BWV 565, Choral Overture “Ich ruf zu Dir Herr Jesu Christ” BWV 639
Jan Pietrszoon Sweelinck: Variation “Mein junges Leben hat ein End”
A. Vivaldi/J. S. Bach: Concerto in A minor BWV 593
Georg Muffat: Toccata X. (from the collection Apparatus Musico-Organisticus)
Czech anonymous author: Prelude and Fugue in D major
Jan Křtitel Kuchař: Fantasy in G minor
Karel Martínek: improvisation

no intermission

Karel Martínek was born in Olomouc, where he still lives. He first studied mathematics and physics at the Faculty of Natural Sciences at Palacký University and later musicology at the Faculty of Philosophy. In 2004–2009 he studied organ at the Janáček Academy of Performing Arts in Brno under the leadership of Professor Kamila Klugarová and organ improvisation under Professor Karel Pokora. In 2014 he started his studies of improvisation under Philippe Lefebvre, titular organist of the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. Besides the interpretation of a wide spectrum of organ literature, Karel Martínek also dedicates himself to improvisation. In his hometown he started presenting thematic evenings inspired by biblical texts and combining organ improvisation with spoken word. Later he inaugurated the monumental project titled Organ Bible as part of which, since the advent of 2012, he has published an improvisation based on a chapter from the Bible on YouTube every day. In 1994–2008 he was an organist at the Cathedral of Saint Wenceslas in Olomouc. At present he is the organist of the Cathedral of Saint Moritz in Olomouc, where he uses Michael Engler’s famous instrument. In this cathedral he is also involved in the organization of the International Organ Festival as its program advisor. Besides organ interpretation and improvisation he also dedicates himself to composition. Besides compositions for solo organ he has created several compositions for piano and works for choir and orchestra, some of which have been awarded a prize at composing competitions.