Igor Františák

Between 1989–1995 he studied at the Conservatory in Ostrava in the clarinet class of doc. Valter Vítek, with whom he continued his studies at the art-teaching department of the University of Ostrava. In 2001 he received a government scholarship to study at the Norwegian Academy of Music, where he studied in the class of  prof. Hans Christian Braein. During his studies he participated in many international seminars and interpretation courses (Michel Arrignon, Eric Hoeprich, Charles Neidich, Christian Leitherer, Milan Etlík, Andrzej Janicki, Wenzel Grund). He participated in several national and international competitions, where he won the following awards – Chomutov Music Competition (CZ) 3rd price, International Competition "Marco Fiorindo" in Turin (Italy) 3rd price. He performed as a soloist with the Janáček Philharmonic, the Bohdan Warchal Slovak Chamber Orchestra, the Kurpfälzisches Kammerorchester Mannheim, the Talich Chamber Orchestra, the Janáček Chamber Orchestra, the Camerata Janáček, the Musica Boemi, the Pavel Haas Quartet, the Bennewitz Quartet, the Talich Quartet, the Škampa Quartet, the Wihan Quartet, the Wallinger Quartet and others. As a soloist and chamber musician he performed in many concerts and international festivals in the Czech Republic and abroad – Poland, Germany, Slovak Republic, Austria, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, France, Spain, Italy, Holland and Turkey. In 1997 he recorded a CD with Zbigniew Kaleta and the Janáček Chamber Orchestra – Concerto for two clarinets and orchestra (K. Stamitz, G. Ph. Telemann, J. G. H. Backofen). Besides from solo concerts and recitals, he often performs as a chamber musician in different ensembles. He is a founding member of the Stadler Clarinet Quartet and the Ensemble Moravia, with whom he regularly performs at home and abroad since 1994. With this ensemble he recorded a CD in 1999 – “Trygve Madsen – Live” for the Norwegian publisher MTG, in 2000 he recorded a CD with the Stadler Clarinet Quartet and in 2006 “Stadler Clarinet Quartet – Live”. He is also a founding member of the Ensemble Moravia, with which the Slovak publishing Slovart recorded a CD – Chamber music by Bohuslav Martinů, and in 2007 – Hindemith, Berg, Schumann, Brahms for PRO Records label. In 2002, this ensemble won 1st prize at the International Chamber Music Competition "Marco Fiorindo" in Turin (Italy). He is working very intensively with the Czech Radio Ostrava, Czech TV and TV Noe. Recently, he has been engaged in an intense study of music from the second half of the 20th century and its performance. He premiered many pieces, both solo and chamber repertoire, some of which are dedicated to him (Ales Pavlorek, CD – Clarinet in chamber music). In addition to the contemporary music, he is devoted to the study of period interpretation on chalumeau, baroque clarinets and classical clarinets (Collegium 1704, Musica Florea, Collegium Marianum). Between 2001 – 2003 he was a lecturer on the international courses Ameropa in Prague. Since 2002,  he is a co-founder and teacher at the annual international interpretation courses for clarinet a saxophone in Ostrava. Currently, in addition to his concert activities, he is working as assistant professor, teaching clarinet at the Faculty of Arts of University of Ostrava.
Igor Františák is an official artist of Buffet Crampon and plays D’Addario Woodwinds Reserve Classic reeds.