IMPRESSIONS OF FORFEST 2006

Coming to Forfest for the fifth time, our feelings were much deeper than on earlier visits. We came as friends; friends of the co-directors of the festival, Vaclav and Zdenka Vaculovic, with whom we have collaborated on several artistic projects; friends of a number of Czech composers, notably Jan Grossman, Jan Vrkoc, and Petr Pokorny, whom we have met at earlier editions of Forfest; and friends of others involved with Forfest and other Czech musicians.

To us, Forfest is like a pilgrimage -- a visit to a holy place within the world of the arts. Artists and listeners come from many places to focus on a singular purpose: the celebration and enjoyment of the arts, and of the spiritual in art. Nobody comes in order to be or become a star; only to participate in art, enjoy it, discuss it, and live it. Dolly and I know that, from the time we arrive, all of our time will be devoted to practicing, rehearsing, performing, lecturing, and experiencing and discussing art. It is a wonderful reminder of who and what we are, and perhaps why we exist.

The first event this year was a beautiful exhibition at the Galerie U Artuse of sculptures and paintings of Alexander and Eva Trizulak, with the added element of a solo violin performance by Zdenka Vaculovicova. Typical of Forfest events, it provided artistic experiences in several genres together. It was also immediately clear why the Trizulak family is considered such a prominent one in this region.

This was followed by a completely unexpected event. Vaclav and Zdenka invited me to bring my flutes and join them at the Pompeian Colonnade in the Chateau Gardens. The result was a spontaneous musical event, a trio improvisation. Zdenka began on violin, Vaclav joined on horn, and I completed the ensemble with flute and alto flute -- an impromptu musical conversation in a beautiful setting.

That evening brought us back to the magnificent St. Moritz Church, home of a number of memorable musical events in past years. The concert of the evening was a recital by the Polish organist Waclaw Golonka. The most memorable work for me was Arvo Pärt's Mein Weg hat Gipfel und Wellentäler, and of course the church is an artistic experience in and of itself.

The following afternoon's concert in the chateau was a powerful experience for us, partly because of our past programs in this elegant hall. First of all, we were able to enjoy strong performances by Zdenka and pianist Elena Letnanova of works by Petr Pokorny, Zoja Cernovska, Jan Grossman, my friend and colleague William Toutant, and Iris Szeghy. Then Dolly and I performed Debussy's Six Epigraphes Antiques, in a transcription for flute and piano, which I thought worked especially well in the chateau's warm acoustics, followed by my Priere et scherzo, which we had premiered at Forfest six years earlier.

The final work on the program, however, was of special significance to me. At Vaclav's invitation, I had written a new quartet, Paths, for our two families: Zdenka and Vaclav, violin and horn, and Dolly and me, piano and flute. I was extremely satisfied with both the performance and the reaction of the audience.

After a brief dinner with the performers, composers, and other festival participants at Club Alma, the next concert was already upon us, a performance by the Solisti di Praga. For me, the most outstanding part of the program was by cellist Vladan Koci, presenting his own impressive De profundis pro solove violoncello and an absolutely spectacular performance of Zoltan Kodaly's extremely difficult Sonata.

The programs on Monday, June 19, had to be reorganized somewhat at the last moment due to the illness of organist Katharina Paech. Fortunately the Italian duo, saxophonist Vittorio Cerasa and organist Giamela Berré, was able to present two concerts with a minimum of repetition of works. The sonority of these instruments was well suited to the acoustics of St. Moritz.

The following day for us was highlighted by two events not connected with Forfest, instead enjoying some of the art treasures of the city of Kromeriz: visits to the painting collection of the Kromeriz Chateau, whose crowning glory is Titian's Apollo and Marsyas, and the temporary exhibition at the Kromeriz Museum, paintings of Max Svabinsky, Morava's most important artist of the 20th century. This was an excellent reminder that the region has a rich artistic heritage which can be seen throughout the year, not only during Forfest.

That afternoon the students of the Konzervatore EA Kromeriz performed Jiri Teml's Missa piccola, followed later that evening by a magnificent concert by the Trio Eufonico of Prague. Flutist Katerina Chodobova, violinist Ruzena Srsnova, and pianist Simona Kalendova presented an exceptionally demanding program of varied works by Czech composers.

Wednesday evening's concert also had to be recast due to the sudden illness of one of the performers. The final program consisted of Martinu's Promenades for flute, violin, and harpsichord, Eine kleine Tanzmusik by Fiala, Uspavanky for soprano, flute, violoncello, and harpsichord by Godar, Emmert's Uzdraveni chvilku po posledni chvilce, and my own Tous les matins ... for solo bass flute and Stream for flutes and harpsichord. The more intimate Kromeriz Museum was filled with appreciative listeners.

Dolly and I were not able to stay for the final four days of the festival, but we nonetheless came away with feelings of fulfillment, having participated in a very intense week of music and art, and looking forward to our next visit.

Daniel Kessner