Honza’s musical education began at the age of 5, when he started taking violin lessons at the Základní umělecká škola Viléma Petrželky during kindergarten. After two years he transferred to piano and studied with Božena Košťálová. While at the United World College of the Adriatic in Italy, Honza continued to study piano and sing in a choir under the direction of maestro Stefano Zacher.
Honza decided to study music rigorously at Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA, where he graduated with a double Bachelor of Arts degree in Music and International Studies, cum laude and with honours. In addition to an extended portfolio of theory and history classes, Honza had a double performance focus within music: vocal performance (bass-baritone) and conducting. Honza studied voice with Benjamin Allen and Dr. Laura Nichols and his accompanists were Kathy Kraulik, Ruth Palmer, Lawrence Henry and Barbara Brooks. His conducting mentors were Dr. Eugene Rogers, Dr. Matthew Mehaffey and Professor Mark Mandarano.
Honza was a member of the Macalester Concert Choir throughout his four years at the college and the bass section leader for two years. He performed with the Macalester Early Music Ensemble under the direction of Cléa Galhano as a vocalist, harpsichodist and conductor. Honza was the guest conductor for the Macalester Orchestra for two seasons and collaborated with a number of other music groups as well. In recognition of his performance, academic work and service, Honza was awarded the Friends of Music Award by the Music Department Faculty in 2013.
In his senior year, Honza concluded his study with two recitals. The first was a lecture followed by a the complete performance of Schumann’s quintessential song cycle, Dichterliebe. For the second recital, which was part of his honours project at the college, Honza founded and directed the Macalester Chamber Orchestra in performance of orchestral works by Haydn, R. Strauss and Wagner.
Outside Macalester College, Honza participated and helped organize the Prague Choral Festival at Prague Proms 2011 and 2014, where he sang and worked with Drs. André Thomas, Raymond Wise, Anton Armstrong, Matthew Mehaffey and Ryan Board.
While in London, Honza continues to explore further performance as well as academic opportunities.
Repertoire
Solo Vocal Repertoire
BACH, Christen ätzet diesen Tag, BWV 63, in concert (partial), 2013
HANDEL, Giuglio Cesare, title role, in concert (partial), 2012
HANDEL, Rodelinda, Bertarido, in concert (partial), 2013
MOZART, Don Giovanni, title role, in concert (partial), 2011
MOZART, Le Nozze di Figaro, Count, in concert (partial), 2012
PURCELL, Lost is My Quiet, Z 502, in concert, 2013
SCHUMANN, Dichterliebe, in concert, 2013
Major Choral Works
BERNSTEIN, Chichester Psalms, in concert, 2011
BARNETT, The World Beloved: A Bluegrass Mass, in concert, 2012
BRITTEN, War Requiem, Op. 66, in concert, 2012
BRITTEN, The Ballad of Little Musgrave and Lady Barnard, in concert, 2011
DURUFLÉ, Requiem, Op. 9, in concert, 2011
DVOŘÁK, Te Deum, Op. 103, in concert, 2014
FAURÉ, Requiem, Op. 48, in concert, 2014
C. MACY, O Rosa Bella, in concert, World Premiere, 2010
MOZART, Requiem, K 626, in concert, 2011
ORFF, Carmina Burana, in concert, 2013
RUTTER, Gloria, in concert, 2014
RYBA, Česká mše Vánoční, in concert, 2014
STRAVINSKY, Symphony of Psalms, in concert, 2010
VIVALDI, Magnificat, K 610, in concert, 2010
Keyboard / Continuo Repertoire
BACH, Was mir behagt, BWV 208, in concert (partial), 2013
BACH, Magnificat, BWV 245, in concert (partial), 2013
DVOŘÁK, Waltz in A Major, Op. 54 No. 1, in concert, 2010
HANDEL, Pensieri notturni di Filli, HWV 134, in concert, 2013
PEPUSCH, Concerto III, in concert, 2011
PURCELL, Sound the trumpet, in concert, 2011
RACHMANINOFF, Prelude in C# Minor, Op. 3 No. 2, in concert, 2011
SCHMELZER, Sonata a 7 flauti, in concert, 2013
TELEMANN, Più del fiume dà diletto, in concert, 2013
TELEMANN, Zerreist das Herz, in concert, 2010
TORRI, Son rosignolo, in concert, 2013
VIVALDI, O qui caeli terraeque serenitas, RV631, in concert, 2013
Conducting Repertoire, Orchestral
BEETHOVEN, Symphony No. 1 in C Major, Op. 26, score study
BEETHOVEN, Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op. 92, score study
BRAHMS, Symphony No. 3 in F Major, Op. 90, score study
DEBUSSY, Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune, score study
DVOŘÁK, Měsíčku na nebi hlubokém, in concert, 2012
HAYDN, Nocturne in C, Hob II: 25, in concert, 2013
MARTINŮ, Memorial to Lidice, in concert, 2012
R. STRAUSS, Serenade for Winds, Op. 7, in concert, 2013
SCARLATTI, Sinfonia di concerto grosso, E minor, in concert, 2013
STRAVINSKY, Rite of Spring, score study
S. TYGIEL, Earthless, in concert, World Premiere, 2013
WAGNER, Siegfried Idyll, in concert, 2013
Conducting Repertoire, Choral
BRITTEN, Rejoice in the Lamb, in concert (partial), 2010
DEBUSSY, Trois chansons, in concert (partial), 2011
HAYDN, Missa Brevis Sancti Joannis de Deo, in concert (partial), 2010
PEARSALL, Lay a Garland on Her Hearse, in concert, 2011
R. POWELL, The Word Was God, in concert, 2012
Ensemble Membership
Macalester Concert Choir, 2010 - 2013
Bass Section Leader, 2010 - 2012 (2013 position vacant)
Guest Conductor, 2011 - 2012
Macalester Early Music Ensemble, 2010 - 2013
Macalester Orchestra, Guest Conductor, 2011 - 2012
Oratorio Society of Minnesota, 2011
Master Classes
Marcus DeLoach, baritone, Grant Loehnig, pianist, 2012
Ellen Hargis, soprano, 2012
Mark Russell Smith, conductor, 2012
Cantus, male vocal ensemble, 2011