Martin Petrák

Bassoonist Martin Petrák is the founder and artistic director of the Haydn Ensemble Prague which has a wide range of experience in historical and modern music. Petrák started his music career when he was 9 years old. Subsequently he continued his studies under leading of Prof. J. Rˇ ezácˇ (The Czech Nonet) at the Prague Conservatory. During his studies he participated in 1999 in music courses of Szandor Végh under the guidance of the bassoonist Sergio Azzolini and oboist Maurice Bourgue.
He continued his studies at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague in the class Prof. F.Herman (Ars Rediviva, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra) and Prof. J.Seidl (Collegium Musicum Pragenses, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra). He wrote his thesis of the Academy of Music about development, production and early Baroque repertoire for bassoon.
After graduating in 2005, he became the member of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2006 together with vocalist Mark Šulc (Schola Gregoriana Pragenses) he founded an instrumental-vocal project focusing on baroque music Musika Antiq/Aria (MA/A), which culminated in performing Bach’s cantata Ich will den Kreuzstab gerne tragen BWV 56 for bass solo, choir and orchestra. The ensemble recorded several projects dedicated to the music of Vivaldi, G.F. Handel, W. A. Mozart, F.I.A. T°uma and others… In 2008 he founded the instrumental ensemble VENTI DIVERSI ensemble, which capitalized on his experiences from previous collaborations with artists from the MA/A and with whom he released his debut CD with works by G. Ph.Telemann La Putain in the autumn of 2008 which won the award Best CD of 2008 by The Prague Post. Over the years the ensemble has been introduced at many prestigious Czech and international festivals (Lipa Musica/CZ, St. Wenceslas Music Festival/CZ, Ars Antiqua Europae in Via Gothic/SK etc.). Programs contained works by J.S. Bach (Brandenburg Concertos), J.D. Zelenka (Trio Sonatas), Vivaldi (Symphonies), G.F. Handel (Water music). In 2015 the latest recording of the VENTI DIVERSI ensemble was a double album Liturgical Year.
Since 2011 he is an assistant professor of University in Ostrava – Faculty of Arts.