Krystof Lecian, Cello

Biography

The Czech cellist and composer Kryštof Lecian (1974) comes from a family of musical tradition. His grandfather J.Maštalíř and his parents Josef Lecian and Juliana, as well as his brother and sister Igor and Josefina Lecian are well-known composers, organist, pianists, violinist, and, in the case of Josefina, soloist dancer at the Prague State Opera. The same as his uncle Jiří Lecian, who is currently the Vatican’s organist.

Kryštof began his music studies at 6 years-old. Already, at 10 years-old, he studied at the Prague’s conservatory with Professor F. Pišinger (creator of the Dvořák Quartet) Since 1995, he studied at the AMU higher school (Musical Arts Academy, in Prague), in the Music Faculty with Professor Miloš Sádlo (student of the legendary Spanish cellist Pau Casals, where Miloš got to know the virtuous cellist Mstislav L. Rostropovich, also a student of Pau Casals). In France, he studied with Yvan Chiffoleau; later, in Switzerland, with Christoph Meister, continuing his training with the great US cellist Lynn Harrell (New York) He finished his higher studies with the maximum academic qualification, with the authorization to practice as a Musical Arts teacher. He also has a Master’s degree in Musical Arts with the speciality of cello by the Music Faculty of the Musical Arts Academy of Prague.

He won his first successes in interpretation competitions and other contests, and he has been acknowledged with the prestigious famous Prize of the Czech composer Bohuslav Martinů (1890 – 1959, Switzerland) The   name of this composer has been given to the “Martinů’s Room”, in the Music Faculty of the Musical Arts Academy of Prague, acknowledging him.

His enormous technical aptitude makes his fingers know very well the cords with surprising skill and confidence, having a huge virtuosity. His tutor M. Sádlo defines him as the greatest talent he had ever taught to, guiding Lecian to the extremely difficult transcriptions of the brilliant violin literature. Although he already knew very well the great repertoire of the cello’s literature with Haydn, Schumann, Saint-Saëns, Lalo, Dvořák’s concerts; Rococo variations of Tchaikowsky; Bach’s suites; Beethoven, Boccherini, Brahms, Franck, Kodály, Debussy, Sluka’s sonatas; two variations of Martinů; other compositions by authors of the Barroque period; also works by Weber, Tchaikowsky, Dvořák, Suk, Popper, Bruch, Bloch, and other authors.  

In this framework, Lecian played seven works by Niccolo Paganini: God Save the King, Duo merveille, Nel cor più non mi sento, Il Carnevale di Venezia, Concerto D – dur, La Campanella, originally for violin; including the opus technically known as the more difficult score of violin art, the 24 Caprices for Solo Violin, adapted by Kryštof for cello. He played the complete cycle in a world premiere, on the 18th June, 1996, at Martinů’s Room of the Music Faculty of the AMU, in Prague. This premiere was the basis of a complete recording made by the young musician under the direction of Professor M. Sádlo, on September, 1997.

1996 was the climax of his carrier as a concert cellist. He was acknowledged as World Première, and with the honour and privilege of figuring in the prestigious dictionary of the most important musicians of the world, called ¨Who is Who in Music & Musician - Cambridge¨, when he played the 24 Caprices by Niccolo Paganini and other compositions of the virtuous Paganini. From that time, Kryštof Lecian has played the Italian cello of the 18th Century, in the main rooms of the Czech Republic, as well as in other European countries, together with the highly renowned bands and under the batons of very famous directors such as the celebrated Charles Munroe, František Preissler and Ondřej Kukal.

Completely aware of the possibilities of his instrument, he has worked, and is still working chamber music, as a soloist with different bands, with several pianists, also accompanied on other instruments and in duet with different organists, especially in concerts with his father, Josef Lecian, and his uncle, Jiří Lecian.

His innovative performances in different countries never stopped impressing, both the audience and the critics. A sample of his great mastery is the fact that he is the first cellist who has transcribed the works The Four Seasons by Vivaldi and Pablo Sarasate’s Carmen Fantasy.

In spite of his youth, he has a long and extensive artistic experience as a soloist with a wide and rich discography of the more varied and brilliant cello literature.

In 1999, he was a soloist of the FISYO (Film Symphony Orchestra) band, a band that is specialized in music for cinema. He also intensely collaborated with music recordings for Hollywood.

In the year 2000, he began as a soloist in the Dvořák Symphony Orchestra. His performances were very well received by the audience and by the specialized critics, both, in the Czech Republic and abroad, especially in his artistic tours throughout Asia. In Prague, and with the sponsorship of the city’s mayor, he performed in more than 100 concerts, as a promotion of the musical and cultural life in Prague, in The Antonín Dvořák Room, in Rudolfinum, the more prestigious room of the Czech Republic –and of Europe, acoustically.

From the year 2000 to 2007, he combined his concerts with the practice of the duties as artistic director, in the entity “Club of World Art” with headquarters in Prague.

From the year 2002, he also began to collaborate intensely as a soloist with the band Bohemia String Orchestra.

In the year 2009, he was co-author of the composition, the musical direction, and soloist of the Symphony Concetante for cello and Symphonic Orchestra ¨Fulcanelli¨, with the Pilsen Philharmonic Orchestra. This orchestra has international prestige and has had the privilege of also collaborating with great figures of the music world, such as R. Kerer, L. Kogan, G. Kramer, I. Oistrach , M. Rostropovich, as well as with directors of worldwide fame, such as  V. Talich, A. Chatchaturian, J. Belohlávek, L. Pešek, J. Stárek, A. Katz, O. Dohnány, Ch. Mackerras V. Sutej, or S. Baudo. It has also the cooperation of stars of the opera world, such as the Mexican tenor Ramón Vargas or the famous Spanish diva Monserrat Caballé. Since 2007, the orchestra accompanies the final of Monserrat Caballé’s International Song Contest, in Zaragoza (Spain)

In the same year, 2009, he recorded five CDs with the pianist Marina Kantor, from Israel, including in the CDs musical compositions by Beethoven, Brahms, Franck and Piazzolla.

He completed his records with five more recordings edited with the more famous repertoire of works for cello.

Among other things, he has also participated as a performer in the Central-European Music Festival and, in different occasions, in the International Music Festival of Antonín Dvořák, as well as a special invited in the closure concert, in the edition of the year 2010, in the classical music festival ¨Frantz & Friends¨, organized by the German pianist and director Justus Frantz, in Gran Canaria (Spain).

It can be highlighted, for its special and very emotional meaning, his participation in the concerts celebrated in 1998, in Martinů’s Room of the Music Faculty of the Musical Arts Academy of Prague, to commemorate the 100 anniversary of the birth of the Professor and famous Czech cellist Karel Pravoslav Sádlo (1898-1971) The Czech Republic’s cellists elite participated in the programme, such us Josef Chuchro, Michal Kanka, among other, and violinists as important as Josef Suk (grandson of the composer Josef Suk and great grandson of Antonín Dvořák) Kryštof Lecian had the privilege and honor of closing the concert interpreting Niccolo Paganini with Nel cor più non mi sento, in his transcription, and as a soloist in a recital accompanying the piano by Jan Niederle, celebrated in May, 2000, at Antonín Dvořák’ Room, in Rudolfinum, sponsored by Prague’s mayor, Jan Kasl, by the previously mentioned Czech violinist of worldwide fame Josef Suk, among other persons.

As many other artists, he solidarily participates in charity acts alternating his solidary tasks with his professional works. Among other concerts, he participated in the concert “Prague for New York”, an aid to those affected by the September 11 attack, sponsored by the President of the Czech Republic Václav Havel, at the Spanish Room of Prague’s Castle;

concerts to aid different orphanages in Peru; a cycle of concerts called “Música por la vida” (Music for Life), in Segovia and Madrid (Spain), sponsored by the Segovia’s Regional Council; a concert in Gran Canaria’s Conference Centre of Expomeloneras, in benefit of children infected with leukemia, sponsored by the Government of the Canary Islands and Gran Canaria’s Council; a concert in CICCA’s Room of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, in favor of Haiti’s reconstruction…