Karel Martinek

Organ

He is the Choral Conductor (Regens Chori) and Organist at the St. Wenceslas Cathedral in Olomouc. He was born in Olomouc where he studied musicology at the Philosophical Faculty at Palacký University. Between 2004 and 2009, he studied organ at the Janáček Academy of Music in Brno under K. Klugarová and improvisation under K. Pokora. He has taken part in several master classes under the tutelage of such distinguished organists such as Olivier Latry, Thomas Ospital, Susan Landale, Martin Sander, Günther Kaunzinger, Julian Gembalski, and Reitze Smits). He has also participated in several interpretation and improvisation competitions. As of 2014, he has been following improvisation lessons with Philippe Lefebvre, Chief Organist of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. His concerts include a wide organ repertoire of all styles and eras, but he still devotes considerable time and attention to improvisation. His recitals have taken place in famous cathedrals throughout Europe such as Notre-Dame de Paris, Stefansdom in Wien, the Cathedral of Our Lady in Antwerp, St. Baafs Cathedral in Ghent, the Santa Rita Basilica in Torino, and more. In the period 2007-2009, he taught Improvisation at the Church Conservatory in Opava. He currently teaches Organ at the Evangelical Academy Conservatory in Olomouc and Organ Improvisation at Janáček ́s Music Academy in Brno. He regularly cooperates with eminent Moravian music ensembles. He has produced several CDs and has taken part in producing documentary films for Palacký University. Moreover, he applies himself to composition. Apart from solo organ pieces, he has composed pieces for piano, choir, and orchestra, with some of them having received awards at compositional competitions. He is the Artistic Director of the International Organ Festival in Olomouc.