Role

:

Conductor  

Birth

:

1970

Genre

:

Chamber

 

 

Concerto

 

 

Orchestral

 

Václav Luks is a Czech conductor and founder of the Collegium 1704, a Prague-based ensemble that specializes in Baroque music. Born on May 7, 1970, in Prague, Luks showed an early interest in music and began playing the piano at the age of six. He later studied at the Prague Conservatory and the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, where he focused on choral conducting and early music. After completing his studies, Luks worked as a conductor and choir director in various Czech ensembles, including the Prague Philharmonic Choir and the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2005, he founded the Collegium 1704, which takes its name from the year of Johann Sebastian Bach's appointment as the cantor of the St. Thomas Church in Leipzig. Under Luks' leadership, the Collegium 1704 has become one of the leading Baroque ensembles in Europe, known for its historically informed performances of works by Bach, Handel, Vivaldi, and other composers of the 17th and 18th centuries. The ensemble has performed at major festivals and concert halls throughout Europe, including the Salzburg Festival, the Edinburgh International Festival, and the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. One of the highlights of Luks' career with the Collegium 1704 was the ensemble's performance of Bach's St. Matthew Passion at the 2012 Salzburg Festival. The performance, which featured the renowned German tenor Mark Padmore as the Evangelist, was widely praised for its emotional intensity and musical precision. The following year, Luks and the Collegium 1704 returned to the Salzburg Festival to perform Handel's oratorio Saul, which was also well-received by critics and audiences. In addition to his work with the Collegium 1704, Luks has conducted other leading orchestras and ensembles, including the Berlin Philharmonic, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, and the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra. He has also collaborated with many acclaimed soloists, including the mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kožená, the countertenor Andreas Scholl, and the violinist Isabelle Faust. Luks has received numerous awards and honors for his work as a conductor and musician. In 2010, he was awarded the prestigious Czech Music Prize for his contributions to the country's cultural heritage. He has also been recognized for his recordings, which include a critically acclaimed series of Bach cantatas with the Collegium 1704 and the Czech soprano Hana Blažíková. Luks' commitment to historical authenticity and his passion for the music of the Baroque era have made him a respected figure in the classical music world. His performances are known for their energy, precision, and emotional depth, and he has inspired a new generation of musicians to explore the rich and complex world of early music.

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