Centenary of Eugen Suchon Celebrated in Slovakia

Slovak cultural institutions and organizations have scheduled numerous events in the 2008-09 to honor the centenary of composer, theoretician, and pedagogue Eugen Suchon, including concerts, theatre performances, conferences, and seminars, as well as the publication of new editions of Suchon's works.
These events have been featured in the UNESCO cultural calendar of anniversaries.

Eugen Suchon (1908–1993) was one of the most significant representatives of Slovak music in the 20th century and his works—which combine Slovak national folklore with a strong awareness of European compositional trends—had a major impact on contemporary composers in Slovakia as well as on the perception of Slovakian culture abroad. In particular, his 1949 opera Katrena (Krútnava)—which was performed not only in many European countries but also in the United States, during a period of volatile international relations—helped alleviate Slovakia's cultural isolation, and drew attention to Slovak music as a whole. Additionally, Suchon was extremely important in organising the Slovak music scene as well as professional musical education.

Events scheduled as part of the 2008 Suchon Centenary promoted Suchon's legacy in Slovakia as well as abroad (Austria, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Turkey). The most extensive projects were representative concerts of Suchon's works took place in Paris on 15 and 16 September—the first in Hotel Les Invalides and the second in Theatre le Ranelagh—which also featured a special exhibition. The concerts featured performances by mezzo-soprano Terézia Kružliaková, bass Gustáv Belácek, and Bratislava's chamber orchestra Cappella Istropolitana. Included on the programmes were Suchon's Three Songs for Bass, Shepherd's Songs, and Nox et solitudo, which was performed in a new arrangement for string orchestra, created expressly for the Suchon Centenary by Slovak composer Peter Zagar. The musicians succesfully reprised this repertoire for two concerts in Marseille on the 29 and 30 November 2008 and also for six concerts in Slovakia.

Important foreign action took part also in the USA. Three Slovak musicians – Daniel Buranovský, Slovak pianist and educator, and two professional singers, Andrea ?ajová and Ondrej Šaling performed works by three Slovak composers – Suchon, Trnavský and Martincek – in a series of concerts on Florida's east coast and in Pittsburgh November 6-10. On November 7, they performed at the newly opened Nova Southeastern University Division of Performing and Fine Arts and were interviewed by local media. On November 8 they presented a concert for the Czech-Slovak Club and the Florida Society of Czechoslovak Arts and Sciences and received standing ovations. The group then participated in an event commemorating the 250th anniversary of Pittsburgh on November 9 at the Heinz History Center and workshop the following day at Duquesne University music department. The US tour was realized by Music Centre Slovakia with assistance from the American Embassy. Their hosts in the U.S. were Slovak Honorary Consuls: Cecilia Rokusek of Fort Lauderdale and Joseph Senko of Pittsburgh. The Music Centre Slovakia created a special program of Suchon vocal and piano works, with contributions by two other Slovak composers, exclusively for this tour.

In collaboration with the Polish institute in Slovakia and the Polish Music Information Centre, Music Centre Slovakia has also organized a Polish-Slovak concert featuring music by Suchon on 19 October 2008 with two contemporary music groups—Orkiestra Muzyki Nowej and Melos Ethos Ensemble— conducted by Szymon Bywalec. The concert, which took place on the 30th anniversary of the pontificate of Joannes Paulus II, also featured music by Berislav Šipuš, Jerzy Kornowicz, Arvo Pärt and Roman Berger.