Ostrava's Janacek Philharmonic (116-piece symphony orchestra), is among the five
leading orchestras in the Czech Republic. Throughout its existence, JPO has been
a strong advocate of contemporary music. Since 1997, JPO has regularly performed
new music, including works by Earle Brown, John Cage, Maria de Alvear, Morton
Feldman, Petr Kotik, Alvin Lucier, Pauline Oliveros, Somei Satoh, Martin Smolka,
Karlheinz Stockhausen, Toru Takemitsu, Edgard Varese, and Christian Wolff.
The performance of 103 by Cage (90 minute composition for 103-piece orchestra)
at the festival of Music of Extended Duration in Prague resulted in a CD release
on the Asphodel label, San Francisco. Under the baton of Christian Arming, Petr Kotik
and Zsolt Nagy, the JPO triumphed with a program of music for 3 orchestras at the 1999
Prague Spring festival, and the Warsaw Autumn Festival 2000. JPO performed Gruppen by
Stockhausen, Diamonds by Lucier, Modules 1,2,3 by Brown, and Nest by Smolka.
The House of Culture Vitkovice (Dum kultury Vitkovice) - the seat of the Janacek
Philharmonic Orchestra includes a large concert hall with flexible seating, and
several rehearsal studios.
