Biography
Biography
Jan Dušek is a Czech composer and pianist who strives to bridge tradition with the present in both of his fields. In his compositions, he combines emotional depth with meticulous craftsmanship, appealing to performers and a wide audience—from experts to casual listeners.
Even during his studies at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, he attracted attention by winning the Generace composition competition, taking first place two years in a row. Among his most significant works is the cycle Chalomot yehudi’im (Jewish Dreams), which was awarded the Gideon Klein Prize and the Public Prize in the NuBERG competition, organized by the BERG Orchestra. This piece was even selected for a live concert broadcast by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), reaching listeners across Europe.
In his work, Dušek naturally draws on several centuries of musical tradition while also integrating modern compositional techniques. The result is music that is captivating, dynamic, and inspiring for both performers and audiences. Critics particularly praise his sense of melodic construction and concentrated work with musical material, which goes beyond the confines of mere academic composition.
Among the performers of his works are leading figures of the global music scene, including clarinetists Lilian Lefebvre and Irvin Venyš, oboist Bart Schneemann, and flutists Monika Štreitová and Matei Ioachimescu. He has repeatedly collaborated with renowned ensembles such as the Nederlands Blazers Ensemble, the Prague Philharmonic Choir under the direction of Lukáš Vasilek, the BERG Orchestra, and the Prague Philharmonia. His compositions have been performed across Europe, from Paris, Lisbon, and Amsterdam to Prague and Cluj in Romania, and are also featured on a number of recordings.
As a pianist, Jan Dušek specializes in interpreting lesser-known yet artistically outstanding works from the first half of the 20th century. For Czech Radio, he recorded a unique complete collection of Rudolf Karel’s piano works, and together with Irena Troupová, he released an internationally acclaimed album of Viktor Ullmann’s songs. He has also recorded the complete songs of Hans Winterberg and is a sought-after collaborator for top vocalists, including Jana Sibera, Jana Hrochová, Roman Janál, and Javier Arrey. A large number of fellow composers also entrusted him with the premiere performances of their works.
Dušek has performed across Europe, Israel, and Hong Kong and has appeared as a pianist at prestigious festivals such as Prague Spring, Eternal Hope, and the Festival junger Künstler Bayreuth.
In addition to his concert and compositional activities, Jan Dušek is also a dedicated educator at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, where he continues the legacy of his alma mater, having studied composition under Hanuš Bartoň.
His piano interpretation was shaped by world-renowned figures – he attended masterclasses with Cyprien Katsaris, Irina Ossipova, Angela Hewitt, Lilit Grygorian, and Maria João Pires, and studied under Robert Lehrbaumer, Xiao-Mei Zhu, and Gordon Fergus-Thompson. Thanks to this wide range of influences, including compositional thinking, he is able to combine brilliance with deep expressiveness, analytical thought, and historical context in his performances.
