| |||
 |
Comments are welcomed from all of Lukas' friends and fans. They can be sent via the Contact Us page, and will be considered for publication on this page.
Just wanted to say a big "thank you" for your performance of Rachmaninov's 2nd Piano Concerto last night in Bristol's Colston Hall ( Oct 11th 2007). It was truly magical and your encore piece was very moving (though I don't know what it was!)
Very best wishes
Lorna Inglis
I accompanied my mum to the concert at Poole Lighthouse last evening (Oct 10th 2007) due to the fact that her friend was inable to go.
How lucky I was. I was blown away by the talent of this young pianist.
Louise Nourish
I had the privilege to hear your wonderful recital of Grieg's Piano Concerto on Saturday 26th Nov at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. My mother is half Norwegian and both she and I were astounded by your flawless performance. Such talent and at such a young age! I sincerely hope you felt the warmth of everyone's appreciation that evening. I hope you return to Glasgow to play for us again. Please accept our warmest regards. Fiona Couper
I went to the Royal Scottish National Orchestra concert on 25/Nov in Edinburgh. Lucas played the piano concerto of Grieg. After that he played some tune for his encore, I wonder if that was a piece by Janacek. I would like to know whose piece he played. He played beautifully and I became his fan. Takashi Saito
(The encore was a Rachmaninov Prelude)
Thank you for your excellent and sensitive playing last night (25Nov06) in the Usher Hall, Edinburgh. David Jack (Edinburgh)
I had the honour of hearing you play the Grieg on Friday, 24th November, in Edinburgh - what a revelation! You are fantastic, and have a glittering career ahead of you. I consider it a privilege to have heard you, and hope to do so many times in the future. With heartfelt thanks and very best wishes, Rosemary Smith Just found out that you will be coming to Cedar Rapids, Iowa next year to play with our wonderful Cedar Rapids Symphony. I am so very thrilled as I have been privileged to hear you play each time you have visited our city. It will be a red letter day for us. Marge Dickmeyer
We have been avid "followers" of Lukas Vondracek since we first heard him at the Buxton Festival in 2000 when he was only 13.Since then apart from smaller concerts we heard his performance of Prokoviev 1st concerto at Symphony Hall, Birmingham and the Grieg at the Victoria Hall last year with the BBC Philharmonic which were truly special. But last week's performance of the Tchaikovsky B flat minor concerto, again at the Victoria Hall with the BBC Philharmonic, was undoubtedly the best yet. The drama and sheer energy of his playing from the majestic opening to the final "Fuoco" made it a brilliant, breathtaking and memorable evening for all of us who heard him. Charles and Mary Richardson I have just heard Lukas play in Hanley - such strength such passion - well done - excellent evening - I really liked his encore - brilliance - thanks again. John Miller
Best wishes,
Renee Mayer
We were delighted and held spellbound last Wednesday at the Lighthouse Poole by the sheer magic of Lukas's playing. Look forward to hearing Lukas playing again in the not too distant future. Dennis and Irene Hodges
Last night I attended a concert by the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and had the tremendous joy of seeing Lukas play Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. For more than 45 years I have loved this piece but never attended a concert to hear it played "live". I should love Lukas to know that I cannot put into words the thrill he gave me. I have never heard my beloved piece played so fantastically and I felt it a privilege to be there (thanks to my dear husband noticing the concert and buying tickets). If it is possible please could my very sincere thanks be passed to this wonderful young man. Thank you. Miranda Norris PS Has he made a recording of this piece of music? (Unfortunately there is no recording of the Rachmaninov's Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini available at present.).
Liz Rowley writes about the Victoria Hall concert : "....it was the second piece, and in particular, the natural gifts of its young Czech pianist that eminently stole the show. Playing Grieg's first and only piano concerto in A minor, teenage soloist Lukas Vondracek was both sensational and mesmerising in his performance, displaying to the audience a maturity that reached well beyond his years. The piece was, without a doubt, brilliant, and Vondracek was well deserving of the continuous applause that led to an encore of Gershwin's popular song, The Man I Love."
Happy Birthday! Congratulations on your marvellous performance in Madrid. Marian and Alan Merry came too, they travelled to Spain just for 24 hours! We all thoroughly enjoyed your delightful playing and look forward to hearing you again soon. Best wishes, Wendy and Barry Start We attended the concert at the Victoria Hall, Stoke-on-Trent on Friday 8th October 2004. Lukas you were outstanding, so self assured, an absolute delight and an encore too! Come back to Stoke very soon . . we'll be watching out for you. Rosie & Alistair Duncan Absolutely astounded. Went to the Prokofiev concert in March 2003 (Ashkenazy in Birmingham) and just want Lucas to know that he's already one of the seriously great pianists of our time. I shall follow his career with the very greatest interest. I really enjoyed his little chat before the concert too. He's a real star. The encore was magnificent too. Was it Tchaikovsky, I didnt know it at all!? Good luck. Derek Chapman (The encore was the Pas de Deux from the Nutcracker, in a transcription by Mikhail Pletnev)
My Mother and I heard Lukas in Chicago last year 3/7/03! AMAZING TALENTED YOUNG MAN!! WOW! Please let me know how I can get his cd -- also when will he be back in the USA again? I sincerely hope that he will be back at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. He truly touched us that evening -- I will never forget this incredibly talented young man. Best of luck to you -- Please let us know how to get his cd. He has a wonderful career ahead of him. I have been asking the Chicago Symphony Orchestra when he will be back BRAVISSIMO! Mary Lou Polcyn (As soon as the CD is released we will post the information on the website)
Excellent website, well done! I look forward to hearing Lukas play some day having been given a recorded taste of his work by Andrew and Audrey. Regards, Rob Smallwood (police officer for the town of Wirksworth in Derbyshire).
Dear Lukas, I'm Sara from Italy. I listened your recital in Trieste when you played Beethoven, Smetana, Ravel and Liszt. I want to congratulate for your fantastic playing. Bye Sara
I had the pleasure of seeing Mr. Vondracek last Sunday, October 19 with the Dallas Symphony -- marvelous! Could you please tell me the details of the solo encore he played? Thanks, Doug Jones (Lukas played two different encores in Dallas - the Pas de Deux from the Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky, arr. Pletnev, and Orpheus by Gluck, arr. Sgambati) Only to thank you for the concert at the Meyerson in Dallas Texas. I was very moved and look forward to your CD. God Bless from a new fan. Joe C Hardman
We would like to add our comments to your already fascinating information on this young artist, given on this excellent website. It has been our privelege to track the progress of Lukas through the recitals, which he has given in the UK, since he was thirteen. We continue to marvel at his prestigious talent and remarkable maturity. As well as having a natural affinity for the music of his homeland, he excels, marvellously, in Chopin, Liszt, Tchaikovsky. One looks forward to the next five to ten years, to witness LuKas's rare talent develop even further. We wish him well. With our very best wishes,
I read the poem by Maureen Sandler. It brought back memories of that memorable evening when the 10 year old Lukas thrilled the audience in St. Mary's Church with his brilliant playing. Stella Feldman
From Takeshi Hara, Deputy Chairman, NHK Symphony Orchestra on Lukas's recent tour: "What I perceived about him was that he is highly sensitive, and of
course he is a skilled, highly talented artist. He has a bright future
I am sure....."
From Lyndon Jenkins, Special Projects Manager, Symphony Hall, Birmingham
Email: lyndon.jenkins@necgroup.co.uk I am very happy to say that Symphony Hall Birmingham is among Lukas's greatest supporters. We have known him here since he first began to come to England. We were very impressed with his early talent and we have been astonished and happy to see it expand and develop with every succeeding visit. We were particularly delighted when Maestro Ashkenazy felt able to accept Lukas as his piano soloist at a concert in our International Season on 19 March 2003, and even more delighted at the way Lukas played Prokofiev's first piano concerto, his stunning Tchaikovsky encore and at the reception he got from Symphony Hall's audience. We cannot have him back soon enough and we are actively pursuing possibilities both for concerto and recital. Symphony Hall in convinced that this already major talent is destined for a magnificent career.
Wendy and Barry Start
In St Mary's Church, Wirksworth (for a concert by the Czech prodigy, Lukas Vondracek) by Maureen Sandler History hovers here, flutters over worn stones, settles on ancient memorials to some, who served their kings, kept consciences, sleep soundly in graved alabaster tombs.
Their effigies, condemned through centuries to contemplate the vaulted ceilings of this church, reflect perhaps that monuments to gods outlast the high and vaulting hopes of men.
Tonight, more history in the making, a packed church for this wunderkind, who folds his bat-winged coat beneath him, whose fingers dart and flitter over keys, uncaging flocks of ivory-pinioned notes.
They swoop, encircle, soar aloft, and bear him with them in their rise, He's flying now, on wings that he has forged, a practised Icarus, who will not overshoot the mark, fall, feathers singed, into our sea of upturned heads.
The music folds its still-vibrating wings. The viruoso floats above the clouds. We cushion him with rafters of applause, reach eager hands to ease him back to earth, enfold him close, a mythic son restored.
|
|
| Web Site Creator |