Chamber ensemble of the Slovak Sinfonietta Žilina
Ján FIGURA, flute, artistic leader
Irena LUKÁČOVÁ, soprano
Ľudmila BARTÁKYOVÁ, violoncello
Bibiána FIGUROVÁ, harpsichord, piano
BAROQUE QUARTET ŽILINA was founded in 1996 by Ján Figura, first flutist of the Slovak Sinfonietta Žilina and world-known soloist. They specialize mainly in instrumental and sacred vocal composition.
The group has gained quite a reputation both at home and abroad in a short time and has become well-established both on the national and international stages, as well as at many festivals and church concerts. They cooperate with the Slovak Radio for special events and they regularly perform at the spring and autumn festivals, the Christmas and New Year concerts, and at concerts in many Slovak cities.
They have performed at the Slovak Institute in Vienna, in the series of programmes for the J. S. Bach Bicentenary, and at concerts collaborating with the Society of Concert Artists in Bratislava (200l – 2009). They have performed several times on their home stage in the Fatra House of Arts in Žilina, as well as at Concerts for Children and at concerts for schools.
Baroque Quartet Žilina performed three times in the cycle Chamber Matiné in Mirbach Palace in Bratislava. They also performed at Musica Sacra in Nitra (2002), at a concert for the Austrian-Slovak Cultural Society in Vienna (2003) and at concerts in Slovak and Czech towns dedicated to the Year of Czech Music 2004, Johann Sebastian Bach anniversary 2005, Georg Friedrich Händel anniversary 2009, and many other concerts in Slovakia and abroad.
Ján FIGURA comes from the family of musicians. He studied flute at the Conservatory of Music in Žilina in the class of his father, Ján Figura, Sr., and finished his studies in 1975. As a student, his most eminent success was the title of laureate at the International Competition for Wind Instruments in Markneukirchen, Germany, in 1974.
He has been the first flutist and the chief of the wind section of the orchestra since the establishment of the Slovak Sinfonetta of Žilina in 1974. He has performed as a soloist at many concerts in Slovakia, and also in Belgium, Bulgaria, Great Britain, France, Austria, the U.S.A., Spain and Japan. He was also soloist at the Bratislava Music Festival (1978, 1981), the Middle European Festival of Concert Arts in Žilina (1993), the Haydn - Tage (1996), and Wienerfestwochen (1993, 1994, 1998) in Vienna, the Festival de Bonaguil in France, 16. Musikalische Begegnungen Lenzburg in Switzerland (1999), and elsewhere. He also performed with Philharmonic Orchestra Suhl in Germany, the Naples Chamber Orchestra in Italy, the South Bohemian Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra, the Symphony Orchestra Podebrady, State Philharmonic Orchestra Košice, Capella Cracoviensis in Poland etc. As soloist he has worked with such prominent conductors as Oliver von Dohnanyi, Leoš Svárovský, Vladimír Válek, Tsugio Maeda, Stanislaw Galonski, Petr Vronský, Ľudovít Rajter, Eduard Fischer, Christian Pollack, Urs Schneider, Mika Eichenholz and Tomáš Koutník. He has also performed in double concertos with Ľubica Orgonášová – soprano, Sergej Kopčák – bass, Jiří Stivín - flute, Alzbieta Gajewska - flute, Jana Boušková - harp, Juraj Čižmarovič - violin, Flora Gomez – piano, Richard Vandra - cello. He play chamber music with ensembles Animae trio from Switzerland and In modo camerale from Czech Republic.
He is chief of the chamber ensembles Armonia slovacca, Suchon Quintet and Baroque Quartet. He has performed with these ensembles in Germany, Austria, France, Italy, Japan and Brasil.
Irena LUKÁČOVÁ, soprano, studied at the Conservatory of Music in Žilina, in the class of Robert Böhm and at the Bratislava Academy of Music in the class of Mária Smutná–Vlková. She performed numerous concerts while still a student. She has been a prizewinner in numerous competitions including third prize at the Dvořák International Singer Competition of in Karlovy Vary; she also won the Prize of Slovak Music Fund for the best interpretation of the Slovak cycle and the Prize for the best interpretation of the compulsory song by Dvořák. She worked as adjunct artist in the Slovak National Theatre where she sang several opera roles. In 1982–1984 she was sponsored by the Slovak Music Fund and since 1984 she has been teaching at the Conservatory of Music in Žilina where she is now head of the vocal department. She also teaches at the Catholic University of Ružomberok. She has performed at the Concert Artists Show in Trenčianske Teplice, and on tours in Ukraine and Germany. She has also cooperated with the Slovak Sinfonietta Žilina in performances of the Christmas Mass by Pascha–Zrunek.
Ľudmila BARTÁKYOVÁ, violoncello, studied at the Conservatory of Music in Žilina, in the violoncello class of Květa Glasnáková. She took part in many competitions and courses in chamber music and frequently performed as a soloist during her studies. She finished her studies in 1987 when she joined the State Opera orchestra in Košice. In 1991 she won a position with the Slovak Sinfonietta Žilina where she is still performing. With this orchestra she has performed at many international festivals and on concert tours throughout Europe, Japan, the USA, and Brazil.
Bibiána FIGUROVÁ studied at the Conservatory of Music in Žilina in the piano class of Eva Šupková. After having finished her studies there, she remained at the Conservatory teaching in the department of piano and accompanying. In addition to her pedagogical activities she has had a lot of experience as a chamber music player in various chamber groups. She has performed with the SSZ several times. She and her husband have performed at many concerts in Slovak and Czech towns, at the Slovak Show of Concert Arts in Žilina and at subscription concerts. She also collaborates with the Slovak Radio.
