Viktor Kalabis


Viktor Kalabis was a Czech composer, music editor, musicologist, and husband of harpsichordist Zuzana Růžičková.

Life

Born in Červený Kostelec, Kalabis was interested in music from a young age, but due to the Nazi occupation of Prague during the Second World War, he was unable to study music in Prague. After the end of the war, Kalabis studied at the Prague Conservatory and at the Academy of Music and Charles University.
In 1952, Kalabis married Zuzana Růžičková, who became a famous harpsichord player. They both refused to join the Communist Party, which impeded the beginning of their music careers. Eventually, Kalabis got work in the children's music section at Prague Radio, where he established the Concertino Praga competition for young musicians.
In 1957, Manuel Rosenthal performed Kalabis' Concert for violoncello op. 8 at the Orchestre de Paris at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, which brought Kalabis new opportunities. His works were commissioned, for example, by the Czech Philharmonic, the Dresden Philharmonic, Camerata Zurich, Josef Suk, The Suk Trio, János Starker, Maurice André, the Prague Spring Festival and others. His composition Sinfonia pacis is one of the world's most-played Czech contemporary music compositions.
Although most of Kalabis's works are symphonic, concertante or chamber compositions, his composed several vocal works such as the cantata Canticum Canticorum, the chamber cantata Vojna, song cycles and choruses. For stage he was written the Fable for chamber orchestra and the two-part ballet score Dva světy, inspired by Lewis Carroll's book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. The video recording of this ballet was given the "Parents' Choice Award" of 1993 in the United States. In 1967, he received the Prize of the Czechoslovak Music Critics and in 1969 he was awarded the State Prize.
According to Aleš Březina, a close friend of Kalabis', "his beginnings in the fifties and in the early sixties were deeply influenced by people like Stravinsky and Hindemith, and Honegger and Bartók – and Martinů of course."
Eventually, Kalabis became President of the Bohuslav Martinů Foundation. Here he established the Bohuslav Martinů Institute for Studies and Information, launched the Martinů Festival and competition, and created a dynamic base from which Bohuslav Martinů's work has become far better known.

Death

Kalabis died on 28 September 2006. The Viktor Kalabis & Zuzana Růžičková Foundation was established in his memory, with Zuzana Růžičková as the President of the Board of Directors for the Foundation.

Works

The Viktor Kalabis and Zuzana Růžičková Foundation has the following list of musical compositions.
Ballets
Symphonies
Symphonic music
Instrumental concertos
Compositions for chamber orchestra
String quartets
Piano quartet
Nonets
Compositions for wind instruments
Duos with piano
Duos with harpsichord
Duos for other instrumentation
Piano
Harpsichord
Violoncello
Flute
French horn
Guitar
Organ
Vocal Compositions
Songs with orchestral accompaniment
Mixed choirs
Children choirs