Biography

Sara Zalcikova

laureate of international competitions

She has been playing the piano since 5 years of age. After graduating in piano at the conservatory, she moved on to graduate in composition at the Janacek Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Brno under the leadership of Ivo Medek. Today, she is a master degree student of piano at the Academy of Music in Prague with Ivo Kahánek and at the University of Musik Carl Maria von Weber in Dresden with Arkadi Zenzipér.

She was awarded many prizes from both national and international competitions. In the years 2009 and 2011, she received the presitgious stipendums of the Czech Music Fund and a grant from the Ministry of Culture. She is a much-sought performer of contemporary music too. Her performances have taken place across the stages of Italy, France, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Poland, Great Britain, Denmark, the Netherlands, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. In 2009, she made several solo and chamber appearances on the grounds of the renowned California Institute of the Arts in Los Angeles. Her own compositions have been performed in a number of European countries as well as the US. She attended international masterclasses under the leadership of Elisso Virsaladze, Mikhail Dubov, Avo Kouyumjian, Pierre Jasmin, Frederic Lagarde, Marina Primachenko-Moussu, Arkadi Zenzipér, Ivan Klánský, Monika Tugendliebová and others.

She regularly performs as a soloist with noteworthy orchestras of both Czech and international acclaim (Brno Philharmonic Orchestra, Moravian Philharmonic in Olomouc, Academic Chamber Soloists, Moscow Contemporary Ensemble, Janacek Academic Orchestra and others). In 2009 and 2010 she initiated a unique project of triple concertos for three pianos by J. S. Bach, W. A. Mozart and her own triple concerto “Di Ritorno” in cooperation with the Brno Philharmonic Orchestra and Prague’s Academic Chamber Soloists.

She cooperates with top Czech soloists and ensembles of the upcoming generation of artists (Veronika Böhmová, ISHA trio, Fortyfingers, Ensemble Marijan and others). Her activities include multimedia composition and interactive improvisation. She also actively participates on educational projects for children and youth.

Every year she also organizes charity concerts in support of disabled children.