The Janáček Ensemble, a chamber ensemble which first appeared on the music scene more than twelve years ago, consists mainly of lecturers from the Faculty of Music at the Janáček Academy of Performing Arts in Brno (JAMU), who are, amongst other things, current or former members of leading Czech orchestras – Václav Kunt and Milan Polák played in the Prague Chamber Orchestra, Barbora Šteflová is a member of the orchestra at the Janáček Opera in Brno, whilst the three remaining members – Karel Hofmann, Roman Novozámský and Vít Spilka – are associated with the Brno Philharmonic.
The ensemble’s core line-up is based on Janáček’s wind sextet Youth, which will also be performed at today’s concert. Another characteristic feature of the ensemble is the variability of its instrumental combinations, ranging from trios to large chamber ensembles, for example in combination with piano and string instruments; this enables the ensemble to present a diverse range of chamber repertoire to its audience. As part of its projects, the ensemble also regularly collaborates with students from both the Faculty of Music and the Theatre Faculty at the Janáček Academy of Performing Arts.
The ensemble’s repertoire comprises a wide range of different stylistic periods, with particular emphasis on the works of Leoš Janáček, his contemporaries and successors – Bohuslav Martinů, Pavel Haas, Erwin Schulhoff, Jaroslav Ježek, Gideon Klein and others. However, the repertoire also includes works from the Classical and Romantic periods, such as compositions by Antonín Rejcha, Antonín Dvořák, Josef Bohuslav Foerster and Carl Reinecke. The ensemble is also actively involved in the performance of contemporary music and inspires the creation of new works, which it performs at major music festivals, amongst other venues.
The Janáček Ensemble, whose artistic director is the clarinettist and conductor Vít Spilka, has already staged a number of successful performances and interesting projects. One example is the scenic evening dedicated to the centenary of the death of the poet Jiří Wolker, which was created in the autumn of 2024 in collaboration with students from the Theatre and Education Studio for the Deaf at the Theatre Faculty, JAMU, during which a selection of poems and excerpts was translated into sign language. In June 2026, the ensemble performed at the Janáček Academy as part of a scenic concert subtitled ‘Nothing but Mischief and Jokes – Janáček’s Capriccio 1926’, which commemorated the centenary of the composition of one of Leoš Janáček’s most significant chamber works – the musical experience was further enhanced by a multimedia visualisation, to which JAMU students also contributed.
