Jan Jirásek

Since 1989, Jan Jirásek’s works have been presented on numerous stages and festivals worldwide. Jirásek composes music for major music houses and interpreters. Examples include his Bread and Circuses composition for six players on percussion instruments  (Munich Biennale, 1992), a postmodern arrangement of J.S. Bach’s St. Luke Passion (Munich Biennale, 1996, Minneapolis MN, 2000), Dance with the Universe concert for the organ and orchestra (Portland Chamber Orchestra, 2012), Missa propria choral composition (Prague, Spring 1994 and 2014, Carnegie Hall, New York, Lincoln Center, New York, Avignon Festival, France etc.), Fragile Balance/Letter to Heaven (Vega String Quartet, Atlanta GA, 2012), King Lávra (micro-opera, Khorikos New York NY, 2013), and other works.

Jirásek’s compositions have been issued by Ricordi, a major global publishing house based in Berlin.

Jirásek’s film music has also attracted numerous prestigious awards. Jirásek has received two Czech Lion Awards in the Czech Republic for his film music in F. A. Brabec’s Kytice (Wild Flowers) and Juraj Jakubisko’s Nejasná zpráva o konci světa (An Unclear Message of the End of the World). Films with Jirásek’s music have also received several prestigious international awards, such as the Tokyo Sakura Grand Prix Award, the Jerusalem Prize, and others.

Jirásek also works as teacher: He has taught composition at prestigious universities in the United States and Europe (Hartt School of Music, Hartford; Colorado College; Florida International University; University at Lehigh; University of Colorado at Boulder; Universität für Musik und Darstellende Kunst, Vienna Austria; ISAM, Ochsenhausen Germany; and at many other universities).

Samuel Hendricks noted on the album Renaissance of Humanity, “Jirásek’s excellent and fine method of work clearly expresses his musical thoughts that, as is the case with every true artist, do not act as a mask for art but represent the face behind it” (BMG Classics 1995).