On Thursday 7 July, Tchaikovsky Competition Winner, cellist Daniel Veis will give a recital of works by Brahms, namely, Sonata in A Major op. 100, and Scherzo in C Minor, and Dvořák’s Rondo in G Minor op. 94, Silent Woods op. 68 no. 5, and Polonaise in A Major op. posth.  Accompanying him on the piano is his wife, Helena Veisová.

The concert will be held at the Aula Mgr G. Farrugia and starts at 8pm.  Certainly not to be missed!

Daniel Veis has been widely recognized as the finest Czech cellist since winning the Silver Medal at the prestigious 1978 Tchaikovsky International Competition, Moscow, and the First Prize at the 1976 Prague Spring International Competition.  He started his musical studies in his native Prague, after which he proceeded to the Moscow Conservatoire furthering his studies with the famous Natalia Shakhovskaya, graduating with full honours.  Since 1979 he has performed regularly as a brilliant soloist with many major orchestras in such respected venues as the Avery Fisher Hall, New York, the Royal Albert Hall, London, Orchard Hall, Tokyo, Auditorí de Barcelona, Auditorio National de Madrid, and numerous others.  He has worked with world-famous conductors and cellists, namely, Sir Charles Mackerras, S. Baudo, V. Neumann, Y.P. Tortelier, G. Delogu, J. Bělohlávek, O. Danon, and the legendary J.P. Saraste.  Prof. Veis has also recorded works by Dvořák, Brahms, Schumann, Mendelssohn, Martinů, Saint-Saëns, Sommer, Tchaikovsky, Kabeláč, Hanuš, and Shostakovich for various labels.  His repertoire is both vast and diverse, and includes major contemporary compositions.  In 1989 he became guest-soloist of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra.  In addition to his impressive solo career he is also a member of the Rosamunde Trio, a chamber ensemble of international repute, together with British pianist M. Tirimo and American-Israeli violinist B. Sayevich.  He is Professor of Violoncello and Vice-Dean at the Music Faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts, Prague.  He also gives master classes and is frequently invited to chair adjudicating panels in international competitions.  Daniel Veis has recently been appointed Professor of Violoncello at Park University, Kansas City.  He plays a G. Cavaleri instrument, Genoa, 1740.

Helena Veisová started her Pianoforte studies at six years of age, and at twelve she performed with her father, the legendary violin virtuoso Václav Snitil.  Her professional career had its natural origin in the musical environment of her family.  She graduated from the Academy of Performing Arts, Prague, where at the young age of 14 she studied with the famous Jan Panenka.  She concluded her frequent and successful competition activities by winning Second Prize in the international radio competition Concertino Praga.  She subsequently started her permanent co-operation with her former Trio partner and future husband, Daniel Veis.  Helena occasionally plays together with both her husband and son in piano Trio, and she has also appeared with them in a number of concerts in many European countries, including Russia.  She has performed on live radio and television broadcasts, and has made numerous recordings for radio and CDs.  According to the prestigious journal The Strad (1995), Helena is a pianist who has an “excellent command, endowed with a supreme musicality and perfect coordination when playing with other musicians”.  She currently teaches in the Music Faculty at the Academy of Performing Arts and the Music College, Prague.  She is also the mother of three children and grandmother of three little girls.  Victoria International Arts Festival is proud to welcome Daniel and Helena back this year to perform for us.  This is Helena’s twelfth and Daniel’s eleventh consecutive performance in the Victoria International Arts Festival.