Antonin Kubalek

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Antonin Kubalek

Antonin Kubalek (1935-) is a famous Czech-Canadian pianist. Born in Libkovice (Czechoslovakia), he studied in Prague with outstanding Czech pianist Frantisek Maxian. Since arriving in Canada in 1968, Kubalek has performed in solo, chamber and orchestral concerts. He is a best-selling international recording artist, with over a dozen CDs currently available and two dozen LPs titles to his credit. His award-winning CD recordings on the prestigious Dorian label have won him extraordinary praise in such publications as the American Record Guide, Fanfare Magazine, CD Review, Gramophone Magazine. Kubalek has twice been nominated for the highest recording honour in Canada: the Juno Award.

Glenn Gould made a unique contribution to this Canadian artist’s career. Gould’s only foray into the role of "producer" was inspired by Kubalek’s playing. The Second Piano Sonata by Korngold, re-released on CD Citadel Records, was the fruit of this singular musical union. Antonin Kubalek, a respected educator, has served on the faculties of The Royal Conservatory of Music, University of Toronto, York University, the Prague Conservatory and the Prague Academy.

Receiving three standing ovations following his performance in the Rudolfinum at the 2002 Prague Spring Festival, it is evident that pianist Antonin Kubalek’s artistry and musicianship continues to command respect and admiration from audiences and critics internationally. Recently, Mr. Kubalek was recognized by the Czech Music Council with a UNESCO honorary award in November of 2002. He also found his own annual festival ([1]) in his fatherland of Czech Republic. Kubalek's unusually wide repertoire contains Czech and Canadian music (including contemporary), but also works by romantics as Chopin, Schumann and particularly Brahms, for which he is considered to be one of the foremost performers of last decades. In 2003 he established his own annual festival (International Kubalek Piano Courses) in Czech Republic for young pianists, where the participants focus on both Czech and worldwide repertoire.