Harmonia Stellarum: Haydn and his Czech Colleagues

Harmonia Stellarum Houston performed music at the CCMH on Monday, January 30, 2023. The program featured music composed by Joseph Haydn, Josef Antonín Štěpán, and Leopold Koželuh.

Specifically, the ensemble performed:

• Joseph Haydn (1732–1809) Arianna a Naxos Cantata for soprano and fortepiano

• Josef Antonín Štěpán (1726–1797) Sonata for violin and fortepiano Allegro vivace – Andantino – Tempo di Menuetto

• Leopold (bapt. Jan Antonín) Koželuh (1747–1818) Quanto è mai tormentosa Cantata for Soprano, Violin, and Fortepiano

Harmonia Stellarum Houston is an ensemble of vocal and instrumental virtuosos who seek to inspire, entertain, and enlighten audiences with meaningful, historically informed performances of well-known as well as newly discovered musical masterworks.

MEET THE ARTISTS:

Dutch soprano Josefien Stoppelenburg is best known for her dazzling vocal agility and her passionate and insightful interpretations. Stoppelenburg has performed all over the United States, Europe, Asia, and South America as a Baroque and oratorio specialist, and as a concert singer. She has performed most major oratorio works by Handel, Haydn, Bach, and Mozart. Stoppelenburg has performed for the Dutch royal family on several occasions.

New York born Manami Mizumoto, started her lifelong relationship with music at age 3 on the violin. Manami is a graduate of the Juilliard School where she earned a Bachelor’s with Catherine Cho and Joel Smirnoff, a Masters in Historical Performance, and graduated with the Norman Benzaquen Career Advancement Grant. In 2022, she was selected as the newest member of Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, and continues to be a Fellow of The English Concert in America, elected in 2021.

Austrian conductor, harpsichordist, and musicologist Mario Aschauer has made his life’s work the interface of music scholarship and performance. Mario holds degrees from the University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna, the University of Vienna, and the Linz Bruckner Conservatory. Upon completion of a postdoctoral fellowship at the Yale School of Music, he accepted a faculty position at Sam Houston State University where he is currently Associate Professor and Director of the Center for Early Music Research and Performance. He also teaches harpsichord and basso continuo at Rice University and serves as organist at First Lutheran Houston.

Masopust: Potluck a Maskarni Ples 2023

Members and non-members were able to attend the CCMH's Masopust of 2023 on Saturday, January 28, from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM.

The event was made possible by the support of: Adelma Graham.

Free Friday Movie Night

These events took place on:

• January 27, 2023

  • Léto patří rebelům (Summer Rebels) — Jonas wants to visit his cool grandpa for a summer of fun on the river, but his mom has other plans. Undeterred, Jonas takes off on an adventure of his own in this tale of rebellion, friendship, catastrophe and, ultimately, redemption.

• February 17, 2023

  • Fair Play — Talented young sprinter Anna (Judit Bárdos) starts training to qualify for the Olympic Games. Anna learns that she is expected to partake in a secret doping program designed to boost her competition.  She refuses but is put under pressure by her coach who, in turn, is under pressure from the highest echelons of the Communist regime, to implement the program. Anna follows her body and her moral compass, which puts her on a direct collision course with the authorities. Her mother (Anna Geislerová), an ex-athlete herself, wants the best for her child, but like Anna is caught in a web of intrigue and lies created by the oppressive regime they live under. Sedláčková uses a sports story to explore the heavy toll exacted on brave individuals who aspired to preserve their dignity and principles under totalitarianism.

• February 24, 2023

  • The Polka King — Local Pennsylvania polka legend Jan Lewan develops a plan to get rich that shocks his fans and lands him in jail. (The dialogue was in English).

• March 10, 2023

  • Zatopek — In the autumn of 1968, the disgraced Olympian and Australian running record holder Ron Clarke escapes to Prague, seeking guidance from his old friend and eccentric mentor, Emil Zátopek, the most famous Czech athlete of all time. As Zátopek imparts his wisdom, the story flashes back to his humble beginnings and follows his career as he broke Olympic barriers to become the greatest Czech athlete. Equally important as his track victories is Zátopek's relationship with fellow Olympian and javelin thrower Dana Zátopková. David Ondříček's captivating biopic is a rousing winner. (The dialogue was in Czech with English subtitles).

• November 17, 2023

  • Listopad: A Memory of the Velvet Revolution — Petr (Filip Tomsa), Jiri (Filip Cíl) and Ondrej (Pavel Richta) are an unlikely trio of friends. An artist, a hockey player and a musician, the boys survive communism by playing sports, drinking beer, chasing girls and listening to underground music. But they are bound together by their common desire for freedom; on a cold November night, they join the front lines of a student demonstration in the streets of Prague. Face-to-face with the riot police, the boys are forced into a momentous decision: stand up against the Communist regime or give in to a system that has silenced their families for generations.

• December 15, 2023 (Double Feature)

  • Tři oříšky pro Popelku (Three Wishes for Cinderella) — The three nuts hide a secret and will allow Cinderella to be a skillful archer in a green hunting vest (in which she first charms the prince when she wins over him in crossbow shooting), or an unknown princess galloping on a horse whose beauty captivates the prince at a ball where he must choose his bride at the behest of his parents. Cinderella finds her way to happiness with the help of her magic nuts, and the prince finds his sweetheart despite all the difficulties thanks to a small shoe that only Cinderella can fit on her foot.

  • Anděl Páně 2 (An Angel of the Lord 2) — The Angel Petronel is still working at Heaven's Gate, but is confident that he deserves a better position. His eternal tempter, the devil Urias, begins to tempt Petronel. All one has to do to know all that only God knows is pick an apple from the Tree of Knowledge, and the path to well-deserved recognition will be clear. Petronel’s argument with Uriáš over the Poznan apple ends catastrophically; in the skirmish, the rare fruit rolls down to Earth. The confused angel and his friend, the devil-tempter, must rush to the human world to find and bring back the apple of Knowledge. On the eve of St. Nicholas, they become entangled in a wondrous tale. They meet little Anežka and her beautiful mother Magdalena, a bunch of dishonest carolers, the ghost Košťál and the sympathetic Párkará. Before they manage to find the apple and return it to where it belongs, they will have to endure a great adventure and go through several dangerous situations. After a series of human and "divine" tests, our heroes finally discover that the path to knowledge leads primarily through oneself, through the discovery of the power of friendship, love, and the ability to forgive. (The dialogue was in Czech with English subtitles.)

Czech for Beginners

This opportunity occurred for members of any level who were seeking to start learning how to speak or even improve their Czech speaking skills!

These events took place on:

• January 23, 2023

• January 30, 2023

• February 6, 2023

• February 13, 2023

• February 27, 2023

Dětský Svět

This event provided the opportunity for members to meet other parents and join the CCMH’s growing community! Reading, singing, and activities for Czech and Slovak speaking kids took place. Attendees were able to learn about Czech and Slovak customs pertaining to the season and upcoming holidays. Meetings for this event took place in the Comenius Library at CCMH. Children were required to be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.

Dětský Svět took place several times, and occurred on the following days from 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM:

• January 14, 2023

• February 11, 2023

• March 11, 2023

• April 15, 2023

• May 13. 2023 (not sure because poster says 13 but website says 20)

The event is made possible by the support of: Adelma Graham.

Vibe Czech

Members of the community were encouraged to bring their children and families to participate in morning guided yoga practice at the CCMH Brno Gallery!

These practices took place from 11:00 AM to 11:40 AM on:

• January 14, 2023

• February 11, 2023

• March 11, 2023

• April 8, 2023

Second Saturday for Students

Students who had a valid student I.D. received free general admission to CCMH on the second Saturday of each month from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM!

These took place on:

• January 14, 2023

• February 11, 2023

• March 11, 2023

• April 8, 2023

• May 13, 2023

• June 10, 2023

• July 8, 2023

• August 12, 2023

• September 9, 2023

• October 14, 2023

• November 11, 2023

• December 9, 2023

Monarch Chamber Players

On Friday, January 13, 2023, the Czech Center Museum Houston welcomed back the Monarch Chamber Players - who performed trios for violin, clarinet, and piano. The program for the event included works by Czech composers Antonín Dvořák, Béla Bartók, and Vítězslava Kaprálová.

Reception honoring Petr Pavel, President of the Czech Republic

On July 12, 2024, the CCMH was honored to welcome Czech President Petr Pavel and Eva Pavlová to Houston. The Prague delegation joined members of the Greater Houston Czech community for an intimate evening celebrating heritage, culture, and the future of Texas-Czech relations.

Pardubická Muzika Brass Band Concert

The Pardubická Muzika Brass Band delighted attendees with their lovely music on May 29, 2024! The talented band made their way from the Pardubice Conservatory of Music in the Czech Republic to perform traditional brass music at the CCMH!

Regarding the band, in only a short amount of time after being formed, Pardubická muzika made a concert tour to the USA and Germany, and received a bronze medal at an international competition in Mühlbach. They’ve also held concerts in the Senate of the Czech Republic and at the international festival Pardubice Music Spring. This year, the brass band recorded its very first CD. Pardubická muzika is happy to be supported by Pardubice Conservatory, City of Pardubice, and the Pardubice Region.

Jazz Night 2024: Sparky's Jazz Express

Sparky’s Jazz Express charmed attendees at the CCMH on March 28, 2024 with their salute to jazz music from Czechoslovakia! Members of the public were able to unwind and enjoy a memorable night out while indulging in the cozy ambiance of the Brno Gallery, savoring refreshing beverages, and the entertainment of live music.

Sparky’s Jazz Express has several talented members such as Tom Borling on piano, Steve Montgomery on bass, Ben Atkinson on drums, and Sparky Koener on the trumpet and flugelhorn.

Sparky Koerner, the leader of Sparky’s Jazz Express is also in another ensemble called “The Galvanized Brass”. He recently retired after 40 years of being the Director of Instrumental Music/Jazz Studies at College of the Mainland in Texas City. Sparky had also served as Chairman of the Fine Arts Department at COM and continues to direct the COM Community Jazz Ensemble as a Lifelong Learning Class. He also recently retired as principal trumpeter with the Galveston Symphony Orchestra.

Collector's Eye on Czech Photography

Members of the public were able to join Frazier King for a free public tour exploring the remarkable works of art showcasing the poetry, creativity, and humor of Czech photography. Czech and Slovak photography from those who have presented at FotoFest since 1990 was on display. Insight was provided to attendees about the artworks on display by King, and they were able to take advantage of such an incredible opportunity to learn about the tradition of Czech photography and get an exclusive look at works from Houston’s art enthusiasts. After the public tour, King offered a book signing of “The Collector’s Eye - A Photographer’s View of His Contemporaries”. This event took place on March 26, 2024.

As for Frazier King, he’s a photographer, collector, and curator living and working in Houston. For over the last 25 years, he has exhibited in numerous solo and group shows in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Brazil, France, and Belgium. His work is in the collections of several individuals as well as the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, Harry Ransom Center in Austin, George Eastman House in Rochester, New York, Bibliotheque nationale de France in Paris, France, and the Museu de Arte Moderna, in Rio de Janiero, Brazil.

Frazier King has been a collector since the 1990s. His collection was shown by FotoFest in 2012 in “The Collector’s Eye II” exhibition. Subsequently, he produced in conjunction with FotoFest and Schilt Publishing a book entitled “The Collector’s Eye—A Photographer’s View of His Contemporaries”. During his 15 years serving as a member of the board of directors of HCP, King curated or co-curated exhibitions and participated as a reviewer in photography portfolio review events around the world.

Czech-American TV Screening

On January 17, 2024, Czech-American TV presented its original, high-quality reports and documentaries about Czech culture, traditions, cuisine, etc., at the CCMH! The video presentation was introduced by Czech-American TV founder and producer John Honner, as well as marketing director Joe Mraz.

Czech-American TV, also known as CATVusa, is a non-profit volunteer project created by Czech-American John Honner. He decided 20 years ago to begin promoting the Czech Republic in his new home country of the United States of America. He received much support and many donations from not only in the USA, but from Czech universities and institutions as well.

CATVusa has been promoting the Czech Republic - especially in English-speaking countries through the presentation of half-hour shows. They have been airing weekly shows on cable TV in Illinois for over 20 years, and now broadcast in Florida, Oregon, and Texas - where the shows are watched by almost 6 million people across those states. Along with cable broadcasting (HMS-TV Comcast Channel 17, At&T U-Verse Ch 99, Sudden Link Ch 99, Phonoscope Ch 96, all in the Houston City Limits), the programs can also be accessed via the Internet - which is utilized by over 100,000 viewers across the world - mostly in Canada, Australia, England, and Germany.

The broadcasts that take place inform viewers about stunning and interesting places in the Czech Republic as well as teach them about Czech history, folklore, cuisine, fashion, products, regions, cities, monuments, etc.