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The Slovak choral conductor, Jan Rozehnal, graduated from The Kromeriz Conservatoire (flute and piano), and Janacek's Academy of Performing Arts in Brno (orchestral conducting and conducting of choirs). After his studies, he was a conductor of the opera in Ceske Budejovice and was also affiliated with The Prague Philharmonic Choir.
In 1979, he founded The Youth Choir of Brno which received main prizes on the festivals in Middlesborough (England) and Cork (Ireland) under Jan Rozehnal's supervision. Since 1985 he worked as the main choir-master of the Brno Philharmonic Choir, and also led the Vocal Society of Moravian Teachers which he prepared and conducted during its tour around France in 1989. In 1990 he was engaged as the leading choir-master of The Slovak Philharmonic Choir. He supervised the choir for 13 years. Besides this main activity, he was regularly invited also by other reputable ensembles, such as The Prague Philharmonic Choir, which he for example prepared and conducted in its tour in Israel in 1994.
He also initiated the establishment and conducted the vocal ensemble Camerata Bratislava. Since 1994, he realised many concerts with this ensemble. On many concerts they performed together with the Slovak Chamber Orchestra, or Musica Aeterna. He conducted these ensembles during the performances of compositions such as J.S. Bach's Johannes-Passion (BWV 245) and Mass in B minor (BWV 232), George Frideric Handel's Dixit Dominus and Laudate Pueri, J.B. Lully's Te Deum, etc. With Camerata, he recorded numerous CD's, for example Masses of Kristof Harant and Jacobus Handl Carniolus. This recording was awarded by French journal Diapason.
During his work in Slovak Philharmonic Choir, he had opportunities for co-operations with prestigious European houses and festivals, such as Wiener Staatsoper, The Chatelet Theater in Paris, Konzerthaus and Musikverrein in Wien, The Festival in Edinburg, The Festival Due mondi in Spoletto, both Spring and Summer festivals of Salzburg, the festivals in The Canary Islands, etc. He co-operated with important homeland and foreign conductors, such as Riccardo Chailly, George Praetres, Claudio Abbado, Kurt Masur, Christoph von Dohnányi, Helmuth Rilling, Aldo Ceccato, Theodor Guschelbauer, Ondrej Lenard, Ladislav Slovak, etc., and orchestras, such as Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonic Orchestra of Vienna, Wiener Symphoniker, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, The National Bordeaux Aquitaine Orchestra, etc.
Jab Rozehnal has participated in number of interesting projects, such as M.P. Musorgsky: Boris Godunov (Claudio Abbado, Berliner Philharmoniker, for Sony Classical), Gustav Mahler: 8th Symphony, Thomas Tallis: Spem in alium, Bernard Alois Zimmermann: Requiem for A Young Poet, L.v. Beethoven: Fidelio, Arnold Schoenberg: Moses und Aaron, Carl Orff: Catulli Carmina, Igor Stravinsky: The Wedding, Arvo Pärt: Passio Domini Nostri Jesu Christi Secundum Joannem, and many others. With The Slovak Philharmonic Choir he realised recording for prestigious foreign recording companies, such as Decca, Sony Classical, Harmonia Mundi, Marco Polo, Naxos, Discovery, NBC, Slovart, etc.
Currently (2004), after unexpected death of Pavel Kühn, he took over the leadership of the Kühn’s Choir Prague and is prepared to continue its remarkable tradition. |
