“Ohrid Summer” brought a unique program of four pianos and string chamber orchestra with Czech artists

An evening that will be remembered for a long time was organized last night by top artists from the Czech Republic who, within the music program of the Ohrid Summer Festival, held the concert “Bach for You” in the vestibule of the church “St. Sophia”.

The concert was announced by the Ambassador of the Czech Republic to the Republic of Northern Macedonia, Miroslav Toman, who said that in this difficult time, we must not focus only on epidemics, but, as he said, we must continue to live.

– In this awkward time it is very important that we all stick together. I am glad and proud that the Czech Republic managed to support its friends, including the Republic of Northern Macedonia, in the fight against Covid-19. However, we must not focus only on epidemics. We have to live and that is why I think it is very important to support cultural cooperation even in the current difficult circumstances. I am happy that despite everything, we managed to organize this exceptional concert. “The best proof that we did not allow ourselves to give up is our presence at the Ohrid Summer,” said Ambassador Toman.

The Czech Ambassador to the country thanked the organizer of the concert, the Ohrid Summer Festival and the director Natasa Popovic, with whom, as he said, they agreed on all the details of the performance of Czech artists who played Czech piano from the manufacturer “Petrof”.

– The Czech company “Petrof” is one of the most prominent producers of pianos in the world and one of the few still operating in Europe. During its 156 years of history, this family company has produced more than 632 thousand pieces and many of them were exported to the former Yugoslavia, and especially to Macedonia. The four pianos on stage were made especially for this occasion, and after the concert will be transferred to “Piano Center” in Skopje where you can see or buy, added Ambassador Toman.

A real symbol of the Macedonian-Czech friendship is the pianist Emma Jedlicka Gogova who last night in the vestubule of “St. Sophia” performed with her colleagues, soloists Helena Weiser, Sara Medkova and Lukas Klanski and the 11-member string chamber orchestra “Czech Virtuosi”.

– On behalf of all Czech artists who performed last night at the renowned and world famous festival “Ohrid Summer”, I want to express my gratitude to the organization. The concert “Bach for You” was dedicated to one of the world’s greatest composers Johann Sebastian Bach, who this year celebrates 335 years since his birth and 270 years since his death, which coincides with the jubilee year of the Ohrid Summer Festival. That is why we tried through all obstacles to unite the jubilees of one of the world’s greatest musicians and composers together with the great and famous festival, said Jedlicka-Gogova.

The four extremely viral Czech pianists held four piano concerts with an orchestra. The concept itself was set up so that the audience could enjoy a concert with one piano and string orchestra, with two pianos and string orchestra, for three pianos and string orchestra, and at the end, a concert for four pianos with orchestra.

– These concerts are of great importance because in the history of music and piano literature, they are the first solo concerts written for piano, at that time harpsichord and orchestral accompaniment, explained the pianist with international music career Jedlicka-Gogova who was born in Stip, and lives in the Czech Republic.

The Czech evening at the Ohrid Summer Festival was held with the support of the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Skopje.