Violin virtuoso Václav Hudeček to celebrate his 70th birthday with a series of concerts
Renowned Czech violin virtuoso Václav Hudeček is due to celebrate his 70th birthday this Tuesday June 7th. We take a brief look back at his life and work.
Hudeček started playing the violin at the tender age of five, and by the age of just fifteen had already performed with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London. Since then, he has dazzled audiences on some of the world’s most prestigious stages.
In 1967, the same year as his London debut, he played Paganini's violin concerto in the hotel room of the legendary Soviet musician David Oistrakh. Hudeček became Oistrakh’s pupil for the next four years.
During his illustrious career, he has performed with some of the world’s best orchestras, such as the Berlin Philharmonic, the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra, the NHK Philharmonic Orchestra, the Moscow State Philharmonic, and many others, in prestigious concert halls such as Carnegie Hall, Royal Festival Hall, Suntory Hall, Osaka Festival Hall, and the Sydney Opera House.
Hudeček’s 1992 recording with conductor Pavel Kogan of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons has remained the most successful classical recording ever made in the Czech Republic, going platinum in 1997.
Hudeček focuses not only on the works of old masters, but has expanded his repertoire with works by 20th-century and contemporary Czech composers such as Janáček, Kymlička, Fišer, and Mácha.
He also helps fresh generations of upcoming Czech violinists with his summer violin courses which are held every year in Luhačovice.
Among other things, Hudeček plans to celebrate his milestone birthday with a concert with the Pilsen Philharmonic.
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