July 31 – August 9, 2026
The 13th edition of the summer courses on the interpretation of Early Music at the Kunín château.
The course is intended for active participation by professionals, students from specialized music schools and for experienced amateurs with previous experience with Early Music. Active participation is also possible for players of modern instruments with a serious interest in music of earlier periods.
Passive participation is possible for anyone who is interested in baroque and renaissance music and its performance practice. Passive participants can follow the lessons in any of the classes and have free access to concerts and lectures.
For teachers in primary and secondary schools, we offer additional lessons in a course adapted according to the requirements for accreditation within the Ministry of Education’s system for further education for teachers (DVPP). The exact timetable and the calculation of additional lessons within the DVPP programme will be prepared individually based on the participant’s previous experience. Please contact us on musacad@email.cz for more information.
Course is organized by: Hudební lahůdky, z.s. (Musical Delicacies society) in co-operation with Česká loutnová společnost, z.s. (Czech Lute Society).
We are grateful to the Kunin château (warden Mr. Jaroslav Zezulčík, Nový Jičín museum), the Kunín parish (Mons. Dr. Alois Peroutka), the diocese of Ostrava-Opava (organologist Mr. Jiří Krátký), restaurant U dobré hraběnky, and the management of Nový Jičín school farm under VFU Brno for goodwill and pleasant cooperation.
The development of our summer courses.
Reports in media (only in czech language):
Zámek Kunín hostil mezinárodní kurz interpretace barokní a renesanční hudby | Celý MS kraj | Zprávy | POLAR TV
Události v regionech – Události v regionech (Ostrava) | Česká televize (ceskatelevize.cz)
LECTURERS AND SUBJECTS:
Martin Gester (FR) - harpsichord, organ, basso continuo, chamber music (31. 7. - 4. 8.)
Martin Gester’s artistic personality has been fashioned through his constant acute curiosity and exposure to a great number of neglected masterpieces. That personality infuses his profoundly original approach to mainstream repertoire, whether at the head of his ensemble, as a guest conductor, or a soloist in chamber music.
After studying literature and music at the Conservatory and University of Strasbourg, he founded Le Parlement de Musique in 1990, an inventive, exploratory, flexible, and demanding ensemble at the crossroads of baroque and classical styles, concert and stage, as concerned with discovering new talent as with collaborating with established artists.
Martin Gester has conducted the Parlement de Musique on some forty recordings illustrating a repertoire spanning two centuries of music, from T.L. de Victoria to J. Haydn, and has performed in prestigious venues on four continents. He has also conducted other ensembles and orchestras. Since 1998, he has enjoyed a special collaboration with Arte dei Suonatori, a Polish baroque orchestra. Their recent recording of Handel’s 12 Concerti grossi op. 6 for BIS (Sweden) has been enthusiastically received internationally as one of the “reference versions” in an already prestigious discography. This was followed by G.F. Telemann’s Suites pittoresques and Concerts Polonois (BIS, January 2013) and Venetian Christmas (Christmas in Venice around the psaltery). More recently, Martin Gester recorded Handel’s Concerti grossi Op. 3 (BIS, 2019), this time with the Australian baroque orchestra Van Diemen’s Band, a new partner. He is also invited to conduct productions by the Voces Suaves ensemble— in H. Schütz and M.A. Charpentier.
At the same time, Martin Gester continues his activities as a performer: organist and harpsichordist in recitals or as a concerto soloist, or chamber music partner; on the fortepiano, notably in duo with Aline Zylberajch (they have recorded Mozart’s works for four hands), but also solo: his recording of J.S. Bach’s 6 Partitas for harpsichord (Clavier-Übung 1), released by Ligia, illustrates his exploration of the relationship between the most elaborate music and dance. This was followed by Portraits et Caractères (Jacques Duphly, Mondonville) and Sinfonies au Salon by Johann Schobert, also released by Ligia. With the 18 Leipzig Chorales and Variations Canoniques, freed from his role as director of the Parlement de Musique and armed with his profound experience of Baroque languages, he returned to his remarkable beginnings as a solo organist (Paraty 2025), planning further Clavier-übung II and III. More recently, he has taken a special interest in interpreting the late works of C.P.E. and W.F. Bach and J. Haydn on the clavichord.
A keen interest in working with selected singers has led him to explore the world of lyric singing—cantatas, motets, and lieder—from Monteverdi to Schubert.
Naturally inclined toward teaching and experimentation, Martin Gester founded his own opera workshop, Génération Baroque, a place for discovering, training, and promoting young European professional artists selected through auditions. Its annual productions, often devoted to rare works and entrusted to directors with original approaches, have gained recognition beyond borders in France, Germany, Poland, Belgium, and Italy.
Martin Gester has reached harpsichord and the interpretation of the baroque and classical repertoire to singers and instrumentalists (organ, pianoforte, chamber music) and still leads productions of the baroque orchestra at the Académie Supérieure de Musique and the Conservatoire de Strasbourg. He has been regularly invited to coach singers at the Opéra Studio of the Opéra National du Rhin in the baroque and classical repertoire, and regularly gives masterclasses on several continents.
Martin Gester was made Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres (Knight of Art and Letters) by the French Minister of Culture for his direction of Le Parlement de Musique, and awarded the Order of Merit by the Polish Minister of Culture for his work with Arte dei Suonatori.
Teaching languages: EN, FR, ES.
Aline Zylberajch (FR) - harpsichord, basso continuo, chamber music (31. 7. - 4. 8.)
A graduate of the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique, Paris, and of the New England Conservatory of Music, Boston, Aline Zylberajch started her career as a harpsichordist. She contributed to the early productions of ensembles such as La Chapelle Royale, Les Musiciens du Louvre and Le Parlement de Musique, with which she performed numerous operas and oratorios.
Later, her interest in the music of the late 18th century led her naturally to an intensive involvement in the performance practice of the early piano, discovering at the same time the amazing variety of keyboard instruments that flourished all over Europe. This period, which also saw the increasing popularity of duos, trios and quartets with obbligato keyboard opened up a whole new field of research into chamber music, and new happy musical encounters. One of her other addictions is playing vocal music, from early Baroque songs to Lieder evenings, and listening to the many ways this flows through to keyboard repertoire.
Sharing through teaching has always been an important part of Aline’s musical life. Formerly harpsichord teacher at the Academie Supérieure de Musique in Strasbourg, she has been invited for recitals and interpretation Masters classes in France, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Spain, Poland, Germany, Mexico, Australia & Japan. Since 2011 she has been teaching pedagogy of the harpsichord at the Pedagogy Department of Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique, Paris.
She is a founding member of “Clavecin en France” society.
Her recordings have received much praise in Diapason, Classica, Gramophone, Early Music Review, Répertoire, le Monde de la Musique, etc.
Teaching languages: EN, FR, ES.
Beatriz Lafont (ES) - solo singing, castanets (4. - 9. 8.)
Born in Valencia, Beatriz Lafont studied Guitar and Singing at the Conservatorio Profesional de Música de Valencia and at the Conservatorio Superior de Música Joaquín Rodrigo de Valencia. During her studies, she was awarded the “Audience Prize” and the “Best Performer from Valencia Prize” at the V Certamen de Guitarra “Luys Milán” (L’Olleria).
After winning a scholarship from the Instituto Valenciano de la Música she moved to the Netherlands to study a Bachelor Degree and a Master Degree in Early Music Singing at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague, specializing in the early Baroque Italian Music performace practice of singing and accompanying herself on the theorbo. In The Hague she studied singing with Rita Dams, Michael Chance, Jill Feldman and Peter Kooij, and theorbo with Mike Fentross and Joachim Held. She also attended masterclasses with renowned teachers such as Robert Expert, Marta Almajano, Cristina Miatello, Evelyn Tubb, Lambert Climent, Stephen van Dyck, Johannette Zomer, Fred Jacobs and Margreet Honig.
Beatriz Lafont has performed around Europe with various ensembles such as La Romanina, Harmonia del Parnàs, La Esfera Armoniosa, Musica Poetica, La Academia de los Nocturnos, Le Jardin Secret, Collegium Musicum Den Haag and Música Temprana, and participated in different festivals such as Festival de Música Antigua de Peñiscola, Festival de Música Antiga: Música, Història i Art (Valencia), Fringe Festival Oude Muziek (Utrecht), Festival Classique (The Hague), Festiwal Twórczosci Religijnej (Żory), Dag Oude Muziek (Bilzen), Edizione Pievi & Castelli in Musica (Italy), Hudební lahůdky (Brno) and Kasteelconcerten (Holland). She has participated in radio programs and recorded early music repertoire with various ensembles.
She has been teaching singing (both classical and historical) privately and at institutions such as the Conservatori de Música Isaac Albéniz (Girona). Since 2014 she teaches at the International Summer School of Early Music in Valtice, Czech Republic.
Teaching languages: EN, IT, ES.
Maria Christina Cleary (IR / IT) - harp, basso continuo (5. - 9. 8.)
Native of Ireland, Maria Cleary holds degrees from Dublin, London (Trinity College), Den Haag and Bruxelles. She studied harp with Susanna Mildonian and Andrew Lawrence-King. She is currently completing an artistic Ph.D. at Leiden University, The Netherlands.
She has performed as soloist with, among others, Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra, American Bach Soloists, Bayerische Staatsoper, Portland Baroque Orchestra, Arion Ensemble Montreal and the RTE Concert Orchestra. In 2014, Maria was invited to perform a Concerto by J. B. Krumpholtz with the Orchestra of the Antipodes at The World Harp Congress in Sydney. This was the first time the harpe organisée was featured at the Congress. As soloist she was prize winner at Utrecht Early Music Competition (1997), Nippon International Harp Competition (1996), Dutch National Harp Competition (1997). She participated at the International Harp Competitions in Israel, Geneve, Bruxelles and Madrid.
As an orchestral player she has worked as Principal Harpist in the Koninklijk Concertgebouw Orkest Amsterdam and further held the position of Harpist at the RTE Concert Orchestra Ireland and worked in numerous orchestras in The Netherlands and Germany. Maria has worked for years in the area of contemporary music, with MusikFabrik Köln and Remix Ensemble Porto. She has premièred over fifty pieces for solo harp and harp in ensemble, including Arc Song by T. Hosakawa at the Darmstadt Festival in 2002 with Peter Veale (oboe).
Specialising in historical harps, Maria performs on medieval harps, the Italian arpa doppia, the Spanish arpa de dos ordenes and the 18th century harpe organisée. She promotes a pedal technique that was exclusively used on harps with a single-action pedal mechanism. She has performed with most Baroque ensembles throughout Europe. Maria performs regularly with Davide Monti under the name Arparla, a violin/harp duo specialising in the repertoire from the 17th century to the 19th century.
Maria teaches historical styles, improvisation and chamber music to both modern and historical harpists. She has taught at the Guildhall School of Music London, Conservatories of Singapore, Brisbane, Venice, Padova (2005–2008), Krakow Academy of Music, Sibelius Academy Helsinki and the Haute École de Musique de Genève. She holds the position of historical harp professor in Verona Conservatory, Italy. In 2016 she will give a masterclass at the Juilliard School of Music New York.
Teaching languages: EN, DE, NL, ES, IT, FR, PT.
Marta Kratochvílová (CZ) - baroque and renaissance traverse flutes, historically informed interpretation on modern traverso and recorder
Marta Kratochvílová studied flute at the Conservatory in Pardubice and then at the Janáček Academy of Performing Arts in Brno. In 2000 began her studies in France at the Conservatoire National de Région de Strasbourg, where she specialized in baroque and renaissance flute with Jean-François Alizon and Nancy Hadden, and chamber music with Martin Gester and Patrick Blanc. She has participated in masterclasses and workshops by prominent figures such as Paul McCreesh, Barthold Kuijken, Jan Latham-Koenig and Sir Neville Marriner. In France until 2010, she played baroque and renaissance flute extensively in the ensembles Le Parlement de Musique Strasbourg, Bohemia duo and NotaBene. She also performed renaissance workshops (Ferrara, Munich, Stuttgart, Basel) with a consort of traverso players from Strasbourg.
Today she lives in the Czech Republic and performs regularly throughout Europe. She appears in mostly chamber and solo projects with artists such as Jan Čižmář, Karel Fleischlinger, Joel Frederiksen, Martin Jakubíček, Petr Kolař, Ján Krigovský, Marcin Świątkiewicz, Marc Vonau, Petr Wagner, and with the ensembles {oh!} Orkiestra Historyczna and Plaisirs de Musique, of which she is a founding member. She is also artistic leader of the renaissance flute consort Tourdion.
As a teacher with many years of experience she is invited to presentations and masterclasses throughout Europe; she teaches also privately baroque and renaissance traverso playing and interpretation.
Teaching languages: CS, FR, (DE), (EN).
Davide Monti (IT) - violin, improvisation (5. - 9. 8.)
After his Primary Degree from the Conservatory in Parma, Davide Monti specialised in Early Music with numerous professors (E. Gatti, E. Parizzi, S. Richie, M. Huggett). Davide’s playing has evolved thanks to collaboration with great musicians of our time: from Ton Koopman to Alberto Rasi, Vittorio Ghielmi to Michael Radulescu, Marcello Scandelli to Roberta Invernizzi, Gemma Bertagnolli to Stefano Veggetti, Stefano Montanari to Sergio Vartolo.
As leader of many ensembles he is known for his energy and charisma, creating a special sound in an orchestra. He has been leader of numerous orchestras including The European Baroque Orchestra (EUBO), Il Tempio Armonico, Athestis e Accademia de li Musici, Il Complesso Barocco, Cordia, Teatro Armonico. He is noted for his work with small chamber groups and chamber orchestras including Accademia Strumentale Italiana, Ensemble il Falcone, le Parlement de Musique and Arparla with the harpist Maria Christina Cleary, — encounters that are precious moments for research and experimentation.
This formed the idea of the score being a canvas, every performance and interpretation is different. Supporting this philosophy, he focuses on the Art of improvising; as in Early Music performing practise the experience of improvising is paralleled to other branches of “cultured” Art (jazz, theatre, traditional music, dance).
Davide has given Masterclasses in Japan, lectured at Makerere University and in Kampala, and at Summer Courses in Italy. He performed as Soloist with the Orchestra of the Arena in Verona. He has recorded for many record labels: Agorà, Bongiovanni, Brilliant, Deutsche Harmonia Mundi, Dynamics, Naive, Opus 111, ORF, Radio Svizzera Italiana, Sonica, Stradivarius and Tactus. He performs throughout the world (America, Africa, Europe, Japan) and received great acclaim in Argentina and Brazil as director and soloist.
Teaching languages: EN, FR, IT, (ES).
Jan Čižmář - lute, guitar, vihuela, theorbo and other plucked instruments, basso continuo
In addition to lutenists and baroque guitar players, guitarists with no previous experience of playing historical instruments are also invited to the course. Instruments will be available for loan on site. Any repertoire is welcome. It is also possible to focus on perfecting the art of playing the basso continuo on a wide variety of plucked instruments – basic knowledge of harmony is required here. In addition to playing the basso continuo, students can focus in the classes for example on the following: baroque guitar and vihuela, all available repertoire. However, welcome are players of theorbo, renaissance guitar and renaissance lute with any repertoire. Also baroque lute and mandora players are welcomeand. We will also do some ensemble playing with (not only) renaissance lutes and in mixed consort.
Jan Čižmář is a versatile performer focusing on historical plucked instruments. He performs regularly in Europe, Asia and the USA with ensembles such as Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century, Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra and Capella Cracoviensis, and under conductors such as Frans Brüggen, Christopher Hogwood, Giovanni Antonini, Yannick Nézet–Séguin and Christina Pluhar. He appears also as soloist with of baroque and renaissance repertoire, and is the artistic leader of the ensemble Plaisirs de Musique.
After graduation in guitar and musicology in his native Brno he studied at the Royal College of Music in London, where he began playing the lute in the class of Jakob Lindberg. He continued his studies at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague with the teachers Nigel North, Joachim Held, Mike Fentross and Christina Pluhar.
He was the founder and editor of the Czech guitar magazine Kytara and contributes regularly to other musical periodicals. He is also intensely involved with publishing and research activities in the field of early music.
Jan Čižmář taught lute and related instruments at MUK Wien, JAMU Brno and AAM at MU in Brno; currently he is teaching at the the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice in Poland. He regularly gives courses and masterclasses in Europe and overseas.
Teaching languages: CS, EN, PL, DE, (FR).
Marian Friedl - overtone flute, recorder and other wind and folk instruments
With his free approach to music of all genres, Marian offers consultations to players of recorders and other wind and other instruments. Particularly suitable for conservatory students and teachers, as an inspiration and practical encounter with less common improvisational and folk styles. The lecturer will also answer technical questions about playing recorder and other wind instruments, but his domain is also some stringed instruments. The free instrument par excellence, the overtone flute, will also be available to try out.
Marian Friedl, musician, ethnomusicologist, pedagogue, member of several music projects of various specializations, in which he sings, plays the double bass, folk flutes, bagpipes, clarinet, small dulcimer and other instruments. He has performed on more than two dozen CDs, often with leading performers from the Czech scene and abroad. In 2014 he recorded, for example, the album NOCZ and Iva Bittová (Hevhetia), in 2016 Divé Husy with Jitka Šuranská and Martin Krajíček (nominated for the Anděl Music Award 2016) and in the same year the album Mateřština with Jiří Slavík (Anděl award 2016 in the World Music category). He embodied his personal vision of Moravian World Music in his self-conceived project Lambs and Wolves; the album of the same name won the Anděl 2017 award in the Folk category. In 2019 he released his solo album Beskydská Odysea (Indies Scope), the neo-folklore project Píseň ZEMĚ (Animal Music), and also performed as sideman on albums of the Norwegian-Czech group NOCZ and Choir (Hevhetia) and in the project Slovak Dances of the composer and conductor Peter Reiner (Naxos).
CHAMBER MUSIC SUBJECTS AND WORKSHOPS:
Air de cour / Ballet de cour
This year we are not planning one big event, but rather several smaller events. Chamber, song or instrumental music based for example on publications of G. Battaille from the first half of the 17th century or instrumental music from that period, but covering a very wide repertoire in terms of genre and nationality. This repertoire can be performed in larger ensembles (5 or more musicians), but it also suits a chamber style (2-4 persons).
Chamber Music
You can come with any music you desire – or we can recommend something suitable for your ensemble or put you together in an ensemble with other participants
(if you want – make your own selection) – e.g. J. S. Bach harpsichord and viola da gamba, trio sonata
Work on any chamber repertoire, under the direction of any tutor and in any time allotment.
Vocal ensemble - Beatriz Lafont Murcia (4. - 9. 8.)
The ensemble will be formed on the basis of the declared interest of the registered participants, and the instructor will decide on the ensemble’s content and time allocation. You will then be contacted for final confirmation of your participation in it.
Improvisation - Davide Monti (5. - 9. 8.)
Traditional workshop focusing on improvisation in historical styles.
Planned duration: 16 lessons (approx. 4 x 180 minutes).
Historical Pedagogy - Davide Monti (5. - 9. 8.)
Planned duration: 6 lessons (approx. 3 x 90 minutes).
Renaissance traverso consort - Marta Kratochvílová
Planned duration: 8 teaching units (approx. 4 x 90 minutes).
Lute & Harp consort - Jan Čižmář, Maria Christina Cleary
Workshop focused on ensemble instrumental repertoire for plucked instruments – lutes, guitars and harps. Depending on number of participants the group will be kept together under supervision of one teacher or divided between the individual teachers. The programme will include consort music by John Jenkins.
Instruments available for students by prior arrangement.
Planned duration: 8 teaching units (approx. 4 x 90 minutes).
Basso Continuo workshop - Jan Čižmář, Maria Christina Cleary, Aline Zylberajch
The approach to the realization of the basso continuo is individual and is based on the personality of the performer, but also on the possibilities of his instrument. The lecturer offers a varied view of the subject and new information for everyone, even the experienced player. Mutual sharing of experience and practice will be important, as well as bringing theoretical treatises to life.
Planned duration: 6 teaching units (approx. 3 x 90 minutes).
The project will be under the guidance of different lecturers.
Castanets workshop - Beatriz Lafont Murcia (4. - 9. 8.)
For those interested in playing castanets and Spanish music in general. The instructor will introduce, depending on the level of the participants, the basics and advanced techniques of playing this instrument. The lessons will be taught in English.
Planned duration: 8 teaching units (approx. 4 x 90 minutes).
Opening of the ensemble classes will depend on sufficient number of participants. Repertoire for ensembles will be specified by the lecturers well in advance.
