29th Made in Prague Festival
Czechia is an amazing country, producing astonishing musicians and sportspeople. Jakub Hrůša from Brno is now the new Music Director of The Royal Opera. This evening, as part of the Made in Prague Festival, the Czech Centre showcased five stunningly talented young Czech pianists — the stars of the future.
The marvellous acoustics of the David Josefowitz Hall made it a perfect venue. Five exceptional pianists, all prize-winners, dazzled with confidence and artistry, delivering a programme of great technical difficulty. The girls, in long dresses, looked like princesses; the boys, in black, looked every inch the professionals.
Mozart gave concerts from the age of six and left listeners in awe. Although these performers were not six, but teenagers, I felt the same sense of wonder. I closed my eyes and heard top artists; I opened them and saw children — who would be back at school on Monday. Coming from varied backgrounds, they are united by their passion for the piano. Once schoolwork is done, they practise as much as possible — often up to eight hours a day. They face envy from classmates, yet they rise above it with remarkable resilience. Perhaps it is good training for a demanding profession. All display maturity far beyond their years.
It is always hard to be first onstage. Thirteen-year-old Magdaléna Kovářová, playing the third movement of Beethoven’s C Minor Sonata, was unfazed by some disturbance in the audience and delivered a confident, sensitive performance. In Ravel’s Jeux d’eau (Water Games), she painted every gush, swirl, and jet of water gorgeously.
Thirteen-year-old Valentýna Ibriqi played Daquin’s Le Coucou (The Cuckoo) with humour and precision. Her Chopin nocturne showed promise, needing only a touch more subtlety — something that experience will bring. Her Rachmaninoff Moment Musical in E minor that followed suited her perfectly: a dramatic, exciting performance of incredibly difficult music.
Nineteen-year-old Jan Schulmeister comes from generations of musicians. He has won awards and performed with orchestras since the age of seven. Something special filled the room when he began to play — you could hear a pin drop. His Rachmaninoff Morceaux de fantaisie, Op. 3 No. 1 displayed wonderful sensitivity and an extraordinary palette of colour. In Janáček’s Sonata No. 1, with its presentiment of death, he showed deep understanding and emotional maturity.
Sixteen-year-old Nora Lubbadová comes from a family of doctors and lawyers, describing herself as the “black sheep” for choosing music. Her hands flew across the keyboard in Chopin’s Études, Op. 25 Nos. 10, 11, and 12 — impossibly difficult pieces played with dazzling ease. Her Debussy L’Isle joyeuse followed, shimmering with colour and movement, displaying astonishing maturity for her age.
Fifteen-year-old Adam Znamirovský closed the concert with three movements from Stravinsky’s Petrushka. Showing intense concentration and fearless technique, he clearly loved the music — his hands flying across the keyboard, finishing with exuberant, full-keyboard glissandi that brought the house down.
All these young artists dream of solo careers, but such is their passion that, even if not, they will teach and share their love of the piano. With artistry of this level, we shall certainly hear more from them. Supported by the Karel Komárek Family Foundation, they will be nurtured until their wings grow strong enough to fly.
Royal Academy of Music, London
David Josefowitz Recital Hall,Duration
Duration: 90 minutes
Artists:
Magdaléna Kovářová
Valentýna Ibriqi
Jan Schulmeister
Nora Lubbadová
Adam Znamirovský
Photo Credit: Jan Pavelka
8 November 2025