| Leon Koudelak | |
|---|---|
Leon Koudelak in Nagoya 2007 |
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| Background information | |
| Born | 17 July 1961 Krnov, (Moravia) |
| Genres | Classical music |
| Occupations | Guitarist, teacher, music festival impresario |
| Instruments | Guitar |
| Years active | 1977 - present |
| Labels | Tyrolis Music (A) Tyrolis Classic (FL) |
| Website | www.thailandguitarsociety.com |
| Notable instruments | |
| Karl Heinz Roemmich, Jose L. Romanillos, Masaru Kohno, Eduard. B. Jones David Rubio. | |
Leon Koudelak classical guitarist.
Leon Koudelak has toured internationally in most parts of Europe, Asia and the Americas. He inspired famous composers such as Tom Pegram, Apostolos Paraskevas or Michael Buchrainer to write guitar music.[1] In addition to his notable concert career, he founded the Liechtenstein Guitar Festival, Ligita,[2][3] the Asia International Guitar Festival (AIGF) in Bangkok[4] and the Pattaya Classical Guitar Festival.[5][6] Among many in the international music scene he is known as "La mano santa de la guitarra" [7] ('the holy hand of the guitar'). 1996 he released a CD with the major Guitar Solo Works by Joaquin Rodrigo[8] which brought him worldwide recognition. Maestro Rodrigo wrote him a letter expressing great enthusiasm after listening to his CD about his interpretation. On the following concert tour, Koudelak played a complete program with works by Joaquin Rodrigo. Leon Koudelak entered the ranker list of "the most famous classical guitarists of all time".[9]
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When Leon was six years old, his family moved to Algeria from the former Czechoslovakia. His father was a musician and medical doctor. Leon was brought up on American jazz as his father appreciated the likes of Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong. His father also exposed Leon to a lot of classical music, especially those of Slavic extraction such as Antonín Dvořák, Leoš Janáček and Bohuslav Martinů.
When his father's work contract expired in Algeria, he opted to return to Switzerland rather than eastern Europe. During his time in Switzerland as a nascent classical guitarist, Koudelak heard Andres Segovia for the first time. This would galvanize, at quite an early age, his desire to be a musician.
In his later teenage years, he studied with the most famous guitarists and teachers such Karl Scheit (he was the last student of Karl Scheit) at the University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna, at the Zurich University of Music and Arts with Konrad Ragossnig and was one of the few students of Julian Bream in Liechtenstein. He obtained the Bachelor's degree, the Master of Art Education degree, the Masters of Arts degree and the Magister (degree) in Vienna and Zurich .[10] During his time in Vienna he studied as well Contemporary Music with Roman Haubenstock-Ramati.
Shortly after he became a prize winner of the prestigious guitar competition “Fundation Jacinto e Inocencio Guerrero” in Madrid, he was contacted by a Swiss concert agency with which he signed a long-year contract and as well an exclusive contract with Tyrolis Music.[11] 1989 He has recorded his first album with Tyrolis Music called : "Music from Spain, Brasil and Mexico" and 1993 the following CD “Modern Trend of Factories for Guitar". At this time he performed on music festivals and concerts in Europe, in countries like such Germany, Great Britain, Spain, Portugal, Czech Republic and Slovak Republic, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Hungary, France, Greece or Liechtenstein. He did the premieres in Vienna of works by composers such as Roman Haubenstock-Ramati, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Michael Buchrainer.
In 1996 the albums “Joaquin Rodrigo – "guitar music" and 1997 “Pavana Triste" were released by Tyrolis Music and led him to major music festivals and concert halls around the world. The album “Joaquin Rodrigo – guitar music" becomes one of the best selling CD in classical guitar music, highly praised by critics around the world. 1998 he did a interview with the guitar magazine "Gitarre & Laute".[12] which earned criticism because of this statement about the classical guitar repertoire, which actually was misunderstood.
At the beginning of the 21st century, Koudelak flirted with Asia, as there was a greater potential on interest in classical guitar and guitar players than anywhere else. By chance, after a concert in Bangkok in 2001, he met Woratep Rattana-umpawan and suggested him to found a guitar festival as well offer his help to make the classical guitar popular in Asia. This has led to found the Asia International Guitar Festival in Bangkok, which becomes the biggest guitar festival in Asia and led to an unusually high increase in interest for the classical guitar in Thailand. Finally after being the artistic director of the LiGiTa (Liechtensteinische Gitarren Tage) over 10 years, Koudelak start to work at the same position in Bangkok for the Asia International Guitar Festival in 2001. The same year he recorded in a prominent music studio in Bangkok the CD " Exotic Fruits" which was released 2002 by Tyrolis Music and became the CD of the year by French Technical Periodical " Les Cahiers de la Guitar".
In 2002, back to Europe, he led the premiere of the guitar concert “Evasion 2002 – “Eschner - guitar concert” by Michael Buchrainer with the “Symphony Orchestra Liechtenstein” at the Music Festival of Liechtenstein (LiGiTa).[13] In the years 2003, 2006 and 2007 he went back to Europe to perform concerts but definitely stayed based in Asia.
Emilio Pujol mentioned in his guitar school "Escuela Razonada de la Guitarra Vol I-IV" in four volumes, the "apoyando" and "sin apoyar". Where the name "tirando" instead of "sin apoyar" comes from is not comprehensible but used in many new guitar methods. The "apoyando" comes from the flamenco tradition of playing guitar. With the "apoyando" it is possible to create a louder sound and clear tone. This is what Francisco Tárrega and Emilio Pujol introduce in the guitar technique. Andres Segovia was a great representative of this technique. Followed by John Williams, Julian Bream, Pepe Romero, Karl Scheit, Konrad Ragossnig, Eliot Fisk, Flavio Cucchi, Marco Tamayo or Jorge Luis Zamora. Leon Koudelak lived in the years 1983 to 1986 in Spain, learning with flamenco guitarists the flamenco technique. In that time he became a close friend of the master of Flamenco "Merenge de Cordoba". Later he changed from the Apoyando technique to a mixture between "apoyando" and "sin apoyar". The Barock, Classic and Romantic repertoires are played with "sin apoyar", but in the music by Joaquin Turina, Joaquin Rodrigo, Manuel de Falla or other Spanish composers it is not possible to interpret the music correctly without the flamenco technique. In particular the Concierto de Aranjuez where the scales need to be played loud. Today the "apoyando" almost disappeared as the performers use microphones and amplifier. The real spirit from the Spanish guitar sadly disappeared as well and is only represented today by a few artists. But it continue to stay alive in the flamenco music and more and more classical guitarist like Pavel Steidl discover this technique again.
Today, Koudelak resides in Thailand, on an extended respite from excessively touring.
He founded 2008, together with Woratep Rattana-umpawan, the Thailand Guitar Society[14] and teaches in Bangkok at Mahidol University (College of Music, Mahidol University) and Silpakorn University[15] and leads his own guitar class at the Thailand Guitar Society, which is attended by students from all parts of the world, mostly from Asia (India, Arabia, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Japan, Singapore, China and Vietnam). In addition to being invited to play in music festivals, often with Woratep Rattana-umpawan as guitar duo, he also organizes music festivals in Thailand and acts as artistic director at the Thailand Guitar Society.[16]
To his classical guitar playing he improvises with passion as seen in this video on youtube[17] with Flavio Cucchi and Jorge Luis Zamora, write and arrange music for guitar.[18][19]
In October 2011 Leon Koudelak's agency announced a possible comeback on world stages to be expected during 2014/2015.
Leon Koudelak is a prize winner of the prestigious guitar competition “Fundation Jacinto e Inocencio Guerrero” in Madrid and also received for his artistic performances the Appreciation Prize from the Federal Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture (Austria), (Austrian Federal Ministry for Science and Research).[10]
Leon Koudelak has an exclusive contract with Tyrolis Music, with whom he has recorded and released eight CDs so far, distributed worldwide by Amazon.com[20] or Allmusic.[21]
He recorded works by Dionisio Aguado, Anton Diabelli, Lennox Berkeley, Michael Buchrainer, Antonio José, Maurice Ravel, Joaquin Rodrigo, Joaquin Turina, Carlo Domeniconi, Manuel Maria Ponce, Heitor Villa-Lobos, Roland Dyens, Francisco Tarrega, Eduardo Martin, David Coverdale, Glenn Hughes, Leo Brouwer etc.
The DVD Leon Koudelak: "Live in Seoul" was released 2008 by the Thailand Guitar Society.[24]
The DVD Leon Koudelak: "Live in Seoul" remastered, "10th Years Anniversary Edition", was released by Tyrolis Classic in February 2011.[25]
On his world tour 2001, the concert in Seoul was recorded and broadcast worldwide by the Arirang TV and shows a highlight in Koudelak's concert career.
Leon Koudelak recommends: "First learn the rules, then you can break them". Practice technique exercises for the dexterity, the music in your head and play with your heart and soul!
Use tuning fork instead tuning machines. Read "Handbuch der Gitarre und Laute" by Konrad Ragossnig [26] or the translation from German to English from the "Chapter VI The Guitar for the lesson".[27]
Caution! High tension strings can damage your guitar as well your fingers!
Leon Koudelak plays guitars by Karl Heinz Roemmich,[28] Eduard. B. Jones (David Rubio), José Luis Romanillos, Masaru Kohno, Masaki Sakurai and Yuichi Imai.
Leon Koudelak support as well the Fr. Ray Foundation with donations from the income of his activities. Particularly from the Pattaya Classical Guitar Festival & Competition.[29][30][31][32]
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