VISIT BY CZECH WIND QUINTET

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28921, 15 June 1959, Page 13

VISIT BY CZECH WIND QUINTET

First N.Z. Concert In City Tonight

With 10 string quartets and 300 composers in Czechosldvakia and eight symphony orchestras in Prague, “we have very much music,” said Mr Karel Vacek, a member of the Czech Wind Quintet, in Christchurch yesterday. Mr Vacek and the four other members of the quintet—Josef Schejbal, Miroslav Stefek, Milos Kopecky and Jan Heel—arrived in Christchurch yesterday and will open their New Zealand tour in Christchurch tonight. Mr Vacek, the only member of the quintet who speaks English, said the quintet were all members of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, which would tour . NevZealand next September. After completing its New Zealand tour, the quintet would rejoin the orchestra for its appearance at the Edinburgh Festival he said. The 125 all-man orchestra gave two series of subscription concerts in Czechoslovakia every year and spent the remainder of the time touring, he said. This year, the orchestra would visit Japan, China, Poland and the Soviet Union as well as New Zealand. Every year “new blood” was introduced to the orchestra, as the older members retired when they reached the age of 60. About three to four new members would join each year and their average age was about 35, said Mr Vacek.