CultureClash - two different musical worlds in a unique fusion, a special connection between traditional South Moravian cimbalom music with jazz and contemporary music.
It all started with the idea of Viktor Slezak (double bass & management) to develop a project together with Hartmut Dorschner (saxophone and composition) for the Boskovice Festival in the Czech Republic, in which Moravian folklore meets free jazz and contemporary music. Dorschner was immediately enthusiastic and asked his improvisation partners Andrea Hofmann (violin) and Agnes Ponizil (accordion, vocals, piano) if they would like to take part. On the Czech side, Slezák was able to win over his band colleagues from the Moravian folk band "Musica Jara": Michal Horsák with the cymbal, which is typical of Moravian folk music but rarely heard in Germany, violist Irena Stranska and violinist Zdeněk Pechoušek from the National Theatre in Prague.
At their first musical encounter in the rehearsal rooms of the Prague Opera in May 2023, their different expectations and musical views collided. Can free improvisation, with its spontaneous, sometimes noisy fragility, exist alongside the primal power of Moravian folklore without being merely a disruptive element?
On the other hand, does the joy of discovery outweigh the reservations and doubts about leaving familiar paths? How much adaptation is necessary, how much contrast is bearable? But with mutual understanding, respect and the desire to expand, the process has become a good way to achieve equality and a fusion of musical cultures, styles and eras.
You can hear new and old compositions, arrangements, combined with improvisation, which is typical for both styles.
Instrumentation: Andrea Hofmann - violin; Agnes Ponizil - accordion, vocals, piano; Irena Stránská - viola; Zdeněk Pechoušek - violin; Michal Horsák - cymbal; Viktor Slezák - double bass; Hartmut Dorschner - saxophones
The concert will be preceded by a magic show for the whole family at Kuckuckstein Castle. Coffee and cake will also be provided, so it's worth making a longer trip here.
This event is co-financed by tax revenue on the basis of the budget approved by the Saxon state parliament.