In brief with Jan Kučera

The New World Symphony’s presence on the programme for 28 October isn’t a surprise, though it’s guaranteed to please. What reaction do you expect from the audience in the case of your own composition The Joker?

Hopefully listeners will like its varied instrumentation and mischievous character, which the title alludes to.

You’ve given the solo part to Marek Zvolánek, the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra’s first trumpeter. What is unique about this interpreter, in your opinion?

I honestly admire his wonderful tone, not to mention his technical virtuosity. When he sits in the orchestra, I as conductor have a guarantee of enormous quality. For me, it’s a great honour that he’s playing the solo part.

In the Britten concerto, you also accompany the distinctive violinist Roman Patočka. Have you worked together in the past?

We’ve met on stage only once, in January 2004 in a HAMU concert series. I accompanied him in Prokofiev’s 1st Concerto. I hope we meet again musically sooner than in another 10 years.

What composition do you currently have scored? And as the father of three-year-old Eliška do you have enough peace and concentration for creative work?

I’m writing a piece for the soprano saxophone of Felix Slováček Jr. and strings that should premiere in the autumn. Thanks to the tolerance and support of my wife, who I hereby thank, I manage to combine family and work well.

What awaits you as conductor in the near future? What project can’t you wait for?

I’m looking forward to everything that comes, but I don’t want to give away things that are now in the preparatory stage. I’d rather look back at recent projects that brought me great pleasure. As conductor that was the two concluding concerts of the Prague Symphony Orchestra, where I first led Beethoven’s Ninth, and as arranger a symphonic version of all the jingles of the new children’s channel ČT Déčko.