Festival Launch and Concert: Katelyn Bouska

Ježek’s Bugatti Step (1930) remains his most performed work, famous for its driving motoric rhythms and  glittering virtuosity.  In it is perfectly reflected Czechoslovakia’s First Republic with its desire for dizzying speeds, daring new fashions  and architectural innovation.  Equally interesting but lesser-known is the inspiration behind the piece, Eliška Junková (1900-1994).

 

After becoming the first woman to win a Grand Prix event in the 1920s in her Bugatti, Junková’s racing success earned her the title “Fastest Woman in the World.”  Her racing highlights, however, are but a small segment of a remarkable life spanning the entirety of the 20th century.  The program traces her life as it winds through the many cultural and political changes.  Each period is brought to life by the music of her contemporaries and that of her own composition teacher, Leoš Janáček. 

 

Composers featured: Otilie Dvořáková-Suková, Leoš Janáček, Jaroslav Ježek, Vítězslava Kaprálová, Ivana Loudová, and Sláva Vorlová.

 

​Katelyn Bouska is currently based in Philadelphia where she serves on the Music Studies Faculty at the Curtis Institute of Music. Her commitment for informed and personal musical expression extends beyond her piano studio into seminars on performance practice, continuo and period repertoire, and bringing to light music covered by the passage of time. Her unique programming combining rarely heard Czech and American music with music written specifically for her by rising composers has found an audience throughout the U.S. and on the international stage. 

 

Event Details:

 

Date/Time: September 6, at 6 pm

 

Venue: Embassy of the Czech Republic 

3900 Spring of Freedom Street, NW

Washington, DC 20008

 

RSVP required: https://bouska.eventbrite.com

 

About the Festival:

 

The Mutual Inspirations Festival (MIF) is an annual initiative spearheaded by the Embassy of the Czech Republic, focusing on the mutual inspirations between Czech and American cultures and featuring each year an extraordinary Czech personality who has greatly influenced and inspired others through his or her work. Now in its 14th year, the Mutual Inspirations Festival 2023 celebrates the life of female racer and trailblazer Eliška Junková.

 

Running from September – November 2023, the festival brings inspiring events to the Washington, DC community and beyond.

 

Embassy Policy: By registering, you are acknowledging that an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists by attending this event on the premises of the Embassy of the Czech Republic. You and any family members and guests voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19 and agree not to hold the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic and the Embassy of the Czech Republic or any of their diplomats, staff, contractors, affiliates, employees, agents, or volunteers liable for any illness, injury, or death. The Embassy of the Czech Republic disclaims and excludes any and all liability for any loss, injury, or damage, alleged to have been suffered by or as a result of or otherwise on its premises.

 

No large bags are allowed. Small purses may be checked as you pass through security for entrance. RSVP confirmation and photo ID required.