History / Chodsko Folk Festival 2005 / Performers
Performers
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KONRÁDY´S BAGPIPE BAND
Founded by Antonín Konrády and Zdeněk Bláha in 1955, Konrády’s Bagpipers Band in among the best bands of this genre in the Czech Republic. Additionally, A. Konrády senior, Jakub Konrady, the well-known bagpipe maker, and the clarinetists František Pikhart and Vladimír Baier helped to start this legendary band. They recorded more than 600 Chod songs, records and CDs in the studio of Radio Pilsen.
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DOMAŽLICE BAGPIPE BAND
In 1994 seven former students of the Music School in Domažlice founded a typical bagpipe band according to the model of older generations of Chod musicians. They have performed at hundreds of concerts not only in the Czech Republic but also in Russia, Estonia, Lithuania, Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, Lu- xembourg, the USA and Japan. Besides bagpipes, two clarinets, violin and double bass the band uses the nearly forgotten folk musical instruments, such as vozembouch, fanfrnoch or rake.
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THE YOUTH BAGPIPE BAND
The Youth Bagpipe Band has been performing since 1996. It is the successor to the children´s bagpipe groups that were active at the Music School in Domažlice for many years. The leader of this band is Vlastimil Konrády who teaches clarinet and bagpipes at the Music School in Domažlice. The band performs regularly at the Chod Festival in Domažlice, at other festivals of folk ensembles in the Czech Republic and Germany and at other events.
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MRÁKOV BAGPIPE BAND
Since 1978 the folk ensemble in Mrákov has had its own bagpipe group. Its origin is associated with the bandmaster Václav Kupilík from Spáňov. The close cooperation of composer and folklorist Vladimír Baier was also of great importance. He arranged many Chod songs and also wrote new compositions. The bagpipe band plays in traditional configuration – E-Flat clarinet and B-Flat clarinet, bagpipes, violin and double bass. Since the death of the bandmaster Václav Kupilík the band and the singers have been directed by the outstanding bagpiper Vlastimil Dřímal.
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THE FOLK ENSEMBLE MRÁKOV
The folk ensemble Mrákov was founded in 1961 and since then it has been presenting the folk culture of the Chod region. It performs at various celebrations and festivals in the Czech Republic and abroad. The members of the ensemble are include dancers, singers and musicians of all ages from Mrákov and nearby villages. In colorfully embroidered traditional folk costumes they show the original cultural life in the Chod village. Every year on the first Saturday after August 10th (St. Laurentius Day – the village´s patron saint) the ensemble organizes the folk festival called Chodská Hyjta with plenty of songs, dances and stories.
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MRÁČEK
The children´s folk ensemble Mráček was founded in 1989. During their appearances it performs the folk customs of the Chod region. It sometimes takes part in various local events, every year it dances and sings at Chodská hyjta in Mrákov and at the Chod Festival in Domažlice. The children from Mráček also take part in the competition called Folk Song in Rokycany – this year they won five prizes.
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THE FOLK ENSEMBLE POSTŘEKOV
The Folk Ensemble Postřekov is now going through a period of returning to its roots; it is rediscovering old, forgotten texts, songs and original dances. It works with great enthusiasm and integrity. Many members find their potential in this activity and you can see that they enjoy this work. Their performances are always lively and full of spirit; their faces shine of joy. Come see them and you will be surprised with what they have prepared for you this year.
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SEKÁČI
The Postřekov bagpipe band is connencted with the Folk Ensemble Postřekov. It often plays in the original configuration called „little rustic group„, i.e. violin, bagpipes and clarinet. This configuration used to be the most typical for Chod folk music.
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THE CHILDREN´S FOLK ENSEMBLE POSTŘEKOV
There is a long tradition of children´s folk activities in Postřekov. It was as early as 1949 that the headmaster of the local school started a folk club. The ensemble has had its own „little rustic group„ since 2000 and today there are about 30 dancers in the ensemble. Their average age is 9 years.
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THE MEN´S CHOIR HALTRAVAN
The choir from Klenčí pod Čerchovem has 10 members. It was founded in 1984 by the solo singers A. Švec and O. Heindl. The songs they perform belong to the most valuable works of Czech culture. These are the Chod folk songs from Jindřich Jindřich´s song-book with accompaniment of bagpipes and other folk instruments arranged for the men´s choir.
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THE KUŽELKA SISTERS
The sisters from Klenčí are among the best and the most accomplished Chod singers. Their songs are in real genuine harmony with their region. Marie´s warm soprano voice and the Jana´s velvety alto voice, their interpretation and engrossing in the songs, especially in lyric ones, prove that their gift for singing was born in the region where the songs became part of life, and where the folk traditions have been deeply rooted and live until today.
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THE FOLK ENSEMBLE DRNDÁLEK
The Folk Ensemble Drndálek from Klenči pod Čerchovem is the youngest children´s ensemble in the Chod area. This autumn it will have been in existence for four years. It includes 25 children.
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MOSTÁR BREZNO
The ensemble performs regularly on the stages of the folk festivals in Slovakia and in abroad. It is among the most highly regarded folk ensembles in Slovakia due to its dances, music and singing. The ensemble performed for Slovak compatriots in Hungary, it is known from Paris to Sicily, from Scandinavia to Greece. They have danced in Syria, Afghanistan and Malaysia.
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ÚSMĚV (SMILE) HORNÍ BŘÍZA
Is it possible to keep smiling for 47 years? Yes, it is. The folk ensemble from Horní Bříza can do it – it has the word smile in its name. The ensemble has been travelling through the Czech Republic and abroad showing the treasures of West-Bohemian folk songs, music, dances and jokes. It knows that all people like smiling and their joyful dance and music performances bring good spirit and pleasure. That´s why this ensemble was often a guest to the Chod festival in Domažlice.
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ŠPALÍČEK
Today´s Špalíček is already the third generation of young enthusiastic musicians. They play folk songs of South and West Bohemia. The group won the first prize in the Czech competition of folk ensembles. Their performace is natural and simple; they give joy with their folk songs but they also enjoy classical music. All nations preserve their folk culture which distinguishes them from others.
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THE HUNGARIAN ENSEMBLE ESZTENAS
The Hungarian folk ensemble Esztenas was founded in 2003. It performs folk music from the region of northwest Hungary and Moldavia and uses original historical instruments. It sings mostly dance songs that originated in the Middle Ages. During its existence, the ensemble took part in numerous international festivals in Hungary, Poland and Lithuania.
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BOCK & LEIER - MUSIK
The bagpipe band from Kremsmünster, Austria is headed by the excellent musician and bagpiper Rudy Lughofer. It often performs at the Chod Festival in Domažlice, Mrákovská hyjta and „Výhledy„ in Klenčí. It accepted the invitation to the 50th anniversary of Konrády´s Bagpipe Group the the entire group with come having an instrumentation of 2 bagpipes, 2 clarinets, violin and double bass. Thanks to Mr Lughofer the group plays many Chod songs which you can hear in the performance „Štandrle„.