About us
The Czech Philharmonic Quartet (CPQ) was established by the initiative of members of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra in 2000. The quartet performers are Helena Jiříkovská, 1st violin, Viktor Mazáček, 2nd violin, Jiří Poslední, viola, and Jakub Dvořák, cello. The immense talents of these musicians and long-term experience in chamber music are great preconditions for their top-class performance. The tone of the CPQ is highly valued by professional international critics.
The CPQ regularly participate in the chamber cycles of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, in various festivals and in events organised by the Circle of Friends of Music, both over the Czech Republic and abroad (Great Britain, Luxembourg, Germany, Japan, Israel, China and Slovakia).
The CPQ also participated in a Japanese project titled “Therapy by Mozart”: within the project, the CPQ recorded a series of Mozart’s chamber compositions. For the famous Japanese Octavia Records Label, the CPQ recorded the “Haydn” Quartets and the “Prussian” Quartets by Mozart.
In autumn 2017, the CPQ recorded a CD with compositions by Leoš Janáček “On an Overgrown Path” and “In the Mists”, published by Arco Diva.
In the 2019 season, the first four quartets of the composer Jaroslav Krček filmed the CD, in 2021 another four quartets and are currently preparing for the premiere of the third series of his quartets, as well as their immortalization on the CD. (Unfortunately, in the 2020 season, the Quartet was abolished due to the worldwide pandemic of many interesting projects, including a tour of Japan and Italy, but for example, performing at the Dvořák Prague festival, Jakub Jan Ryba festival, or Forfest in Kroměříž.
In the 2021 season, the Quartet traveled to festivals to Levoča in Slovakia and Bourlingster in Luxembourg.
Members of the quartet
.jpeg)
Helena Jiříkovská
1st violin
Helena Jiříkovská is one of the most sought-after and respected Czech violinists. During her studies Pilsen, Prague, Berlin and participated in many master classes, she worked under the tutelage of outstanding personalities such as Jindřiška Holotová, Jiří Tomášek, Jan Tomeš, Eduard Grač, Jacques Ghestem and Isaac Stern.
As a soloist she has performed with Czech and foreign orchestras (Bamberger Symphoniker, MDR Sinfonieorchester Leipzig, FOK Prague, Talich Chamber Orchestra, Hradec Králové Philharmonic Orchestra, Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra Ostrava,
Chamber Philharmonic Pardubice, South Bohemian Philharmonic...).
As a sought-after chamber musician, Helena Jiříkovská has performed at many Czech and world stages. Among the most important are Wigmore Hall in London, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Gewandhaus Leipzig, Lincoln Centre and Carnegie Hall New York, Dvořák Hall at Prague's Rudolfinum.
Helena Jiříkovská has been the concertmaster of the Talich Chamber Orchestra since 1996, was a member of the Smetana Piano Trio, in 2001-2008 a member of the Janáček Piano Trio, and from 2008 to 2022 she was the principal of the Škampa Quartet. She is also the concertmaster of the Czech National Symphony Orchestra orchestra.
Since 2023 she is a member of the Prague Symphony Orchestra FOK.
Together with Skampa Quartet, she has also worked as a teacher. In addition to master classes, e.g. for the Lake District Summer Music Festival, Dartington Summer School and others, she cooperated with the Royal Academy of Music in London, where the The Skampa Quartet was appointed visiting faculty in chamber music at the Department of Strings.
Helena has performed as the principal of the Czech Philharmonic Quartet since 2023.
_PetraHajska_j.jpg)
Viktor Mazáček
2nd violin
Viktor Mazáček studied at the Prague Conservatory under Jaroslav Štětina and the Academy of Performing Arts under Ivan Štraus. He has been a member of the Czech Philharmonic orchestra since 1994; he is also in demand as a chamber musician and works with well-known ensembles like Konvergence, Camerata Bohemica and Capella Regia Prague. He is the leader of the Chamber Orchestra of the Dvořák Region. He has devoted his energies intensively to the Czech Philharmonic Quartet since 2015.
_PetraHajska_jp.jpg)
Jiří Poslední
viola
Jiří Poslední studied at the Prague Conservatory in a class taught by Prof. J. Zíka and completed chamber music studies with J. Vlach and V. Moučka from the legendary Vlach Quartet. Since 1997 he has been a member of the viola group of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. Jiří is a sought-after chamber music player who has performed in the Šroubek Quartet, Joseph Trio and Prague Baroque Soloists and others. For the last six years he has been teaching at Ameropa Chamber Music Courses in Prague.
_PetraHajska.jpg)
Jakub Dvořák
cello
At the age of ten Jakub Dvořák became a private student of Prof. Mirko Škampa. After high school he was accepted to the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, where he graduated in 1990 under the guidance of Dr. Rudolf Lojda. Since his student years he has cooperated with many chamber orchestras and ensembles (Prague Baroque Soloists, Concertino Notturno Praha, Joseph Trio). Since 1997 he has been a member of the cello group of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. He is currently devoting himself intensively to his work in the Czech Philharmonic Quartet. He is also a member of the Virtuosi di Basso and Musica Gaudeans chamber ensembles.