Period

:

Romantic

 

 

Modern

Genre

:

Ballet

 

 

Concerto

 

 

Vocal

 

Jiri Formacek was a Czech classical pianist and composer who was born on January 1, 1930, in Prague, Czechoslovakia. He was the youngest of three children born to a family of musicians. His father was a violinist, and his mother was a pianist. Jiri showed an early interest in music and began playing the piano at the age of four. Formacek's talent was recognized early on, and he was accepted into the Prague Conservatory at the age of 14. He studied under the renowned pianist and composer, Vitezslav Novak, and graduated with honors in 1950. After graduation, he continued his studies at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, where he studied composition under Pavel Bořkovec. Formacek began his professional career as a concert pianist in 1951, and quickly gained a reputation as one of the most talented pianists of his generation. He won several prestigious awards, including the International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw in 1955, and the Queen Elisabeth Music Competition in Brussels in 1956. Formacek's performances were characterized by his technical brilliance and his ability to convey the emotional depth of the music he played. He was particularly known for his interpretations of the works of Chopin, Beethoven, and Mozart. He also performed and recorded the works of many Czech composers, including Antonin Dvořák, Bedřich Smetana, and Leoš Janáček. In addition to his career as a pianist, Formacek was also a prolific composer. He wrote over 200 works, including piano concertos, chamber music, and solo piano pieces. His compositions were influenced by the music of his native Czechoslovakia, as well as by the works of the great composers of the past. Formacek's career was interrupted by the political upheavals of the 1960s and 1970s. He was a vocal critic of the communist regime in Czechoslovakia, and his music was banned from public performance. He was also prevented from traveling abroad to perform. Despite these obstacles, Formacek continued to compose and perform in private, and his music continued to be admired by his colleagues and students. After the fall of communism in Czechoslovakia in 1989, Formacek's music was once again performed in public. He continued to perform and compose until his death on December 22, 2004, at the age of 74. Formacek's legacy as a pianist and composer is a testament to his talent and dedication to his craft. His performances and compositions continue to inspire and delight audiences around the world.

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