Night of Romanticism
At twilight, the Brewery garden transforms into poetic scenery, just perfect for hosting a concert named Night of Romanticism. With the sunset on the horizon, you will enjoy one of the most beautiful pieces of the classical repertoire from the Romantic era – Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto in B-flat minor. The most famous piano concerto of all time will show off the virtuosity of the young pianist of Slovak-Australian origin, Ryan Martin Bradshaw. The finalist of the Virtuosos V4+ television competition and winner of many other prestigious international competitions will perform with the Prague Symphony Orchestra with its soon-to-be chief conductor Petr Popelka. Admirers of the specific sense of color and balance of musical composition that is so characteristic of Francophone composers will not be disappointed either. The performance of César Franck’s masterpiece – Symphony in D minor will remind 200 years since the birth of this exceptional Romantic composer.
Artists
Ryan Martin Bradshaw – piano
The Prague Symphony Orchestra
Petr Popelka – conductor
Programme
Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto in B-flat minor
César Franck’s Symphony in D minor
Program
Ryan Martin Bradshaw – piano
Ryan started playing the piano at the age of 6 and made his debut with the orchestra at the age of 8. He is currently attending the the British International School Bratislava and music classes at the University of Performing Arts in Vienna for the highly gifted lead by prof. Vladimir Kharin. Despite his young age, Ryan has already demonstrated considerable talent with excellent results in both national and international contexts. He is a laureate of 16 International Piano competitions. Ryan has performed with several renown orchestras -in Bratislava with the Slovak Chamber Orchestra in the Great Slovak Philharmonic, in Moscow with the Russian Philharmonic under conductor Vladimir Spivakov, in the Great Tchaikovsky Hall in Moscow, in Prague with the Prague Sinfonietta, in Vienna with Franz Schmidt Kammerorchester, in Łód s with the Łódskými Philharmonic, with the Sinfonietta dell Arte in Austria and Slovakia and in Žilina with the Slovak Sinfonietta.
Ryan had his first piano recital at the age of 10 and performed at the Brahms Hall of the Musikverein in Vienna, the Glass Hall of the Musikverein in Vienna, the Musiktheater Vienna, the Grand Hall of the Slovak Philharmonic, the Salzburg Mozarteum, the Copenhagen Summer Festival, the Bratislava Music Festival and the Slovak Philharmonic Hall, Liszt in Budapest, in Roverett Italy Theatro Zandonai within the Mozart Festival, the Ehrbaar Hall in Vienna, the Svetlanov Hall in Moscow and many others.
Ryan attended master classes in Geneva at the Summer Performing Arts by the world- famous Juilliard School.
The Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra
The Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra is one of the most important Czech orchestras today. Since the 2018/19 season, German conductor Alexander Liebreich has held the position of chief conductor and artistic director. The main guest conductor is currently Marek Šedivý. In the concert season 2021/22, SOČR will welcome, among others, pianist Gabriela Montero, who will also be the residential artist of the season. Violinists Leila Josefowicz and Sergey Khachatrjan, pianist Brad Mehldau, cellist Alban Gerhardt, clarinetist Kari and conductors Ion Marin, Holly Mathieson and Kirill Karabits also accepted the invitation. In the last few years, the orchestra has collaborated with leading Czech and foreign conductors.
Petr Popelka – conductor
Within just two seasons and despite the pandemic, Petr Popelka established himself as one of the most inspiring young conductors. He has been Chief Conductor of the Norwegian Radio Orchestra (KORK) since August 2020 and will become Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra, starting September 2022. He is also Principal Guest Conductor of the Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra Ostrava.
In the 2021/2022 season, Petr Popelka will return to the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester, Danish National Symphony Orchestra, Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra, FOK Prague Symphony Orchestra, and Aalborg Symphony Orchestra. He will make his debut with renowned orchestras such as the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie, Staatskapelle Weimar, Mozarteumorchester Salzburg, Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne, Sinfonieorchester St. Gallen and Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra. Past debuts include orchestras such as Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden, Wiener Symphoniker and Arctic Philharmonic as well as Prague National Theatre with Dvořák’s Rusalka.
Operatic engagements will take him to the Prague National Theatre for a new production of Bizet’s Carmen and a series of Le nozze di Figaro by Mozart. In addition, he will conduct a new production at Semperoper Dresden.
In the 2019/2020 season, Petr Popelka was the first ever Conductor Fellow of the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester. Having devoted himself increasingly to conducting since 2016, it was only a year later that Petr Popelka was awarded the Gstaad Menuhin Festival Academy’s Neeme Järvi Prize 2017. His new career path was particularly encouraged and nurtured by Vladimir Kiradjiev and Alan Gilbert, and master classes with Peter Eötvös, Jaap van Zweden and Johannes Schlaefli also had a formative influence on his development as a conductor.
Petr Popelka acquired his music education both in his hometown of Prague as well as in Freiburg. Between 2010 and 2019 he held the position of deputy principal double bass of the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden. Next to conducting, his work as a composer plays another important role within Petr Popelka’s artistic range.
