Petr Kotík and Philip Glass: 50 Years in New York City

These two composers have been active in the musical avant-garde in New York City since the 1970s, a common point where they create, compose, and organize concerts and major artistic projects.

What influenced them most in the early days of their musical involvement? Werethey fundamentally shaped by their family background? Petr Kotík, who has been a long term friend of Philip Glass, will guide you through an evening on the development of the musical avant-garde in New York City since the 1970s.

Our selection of compositions by Glass was consulted with his close associates – the pianist Michael Riesman (music director of the Philip Glass Ensemble and conductor of almost all of Glass’s compositions) and Richard Guérin (director of Orange Mountain Music, one of the record labels founded by Glass). Three pieces have been selected; two will be performed in their Czech premieres. The third piece, Two Pages from 1968, one of his most typical compositions from this period, will be presented by the internationally acclaimed pianist Miroslav Beinhauer, who has already performed this work several times.

The program will feature two compositions by Petr Kotík, both in their world premieres.

On the occasion of this concert, we will publish program notes featuring a unique conversation between the two composers about their student years, professional beginnings and inspirations, recorded in New York in 2014.