UNT endowment brings Czech orchestra and film crew to Texas

by John P. Meyer

Through the beneficence of the University of North Texas' (long mental breath) Czech Educational Foundation of Texas Frank J. and Hermine Hurta Kostohryz Residency in Czech Music and Culture, an orchestra and film crew from the Czech Republic will be touring Texas in October, with their first stop (and performance) occurring on the campus of UNT.

The Petr Micka Cimbalom Orchestra will bring their wild and crazy Moravian folk and cimbalom stylings to UNT's Winspear Hall at the Murchison Performing Arts Center on Sat., Oct. 6 at 8 p.m. General admission tickets are $7; for advance purchases call 940-369-7802 or visit the Murchison's online box office.

The UNT event is only the first of a series of Texas gigs to follow for the Micka crew, including performances at the African-American Museum at Fair Park (on Oct. 7, during the State Fair); another at Cook Children's Medical Center in Fort Worth; and additional dates in Austin, Houston, Caldwell and La Grange, before winding up their tour here in Dallas on Sunday, Oct. 14 at Sokol Hall on Greenville.

Following the Micka Orchestra around as they perform will be a documentary film crew from Czech National Television. They'll be recording some of the band's Texas performances for posterity - and hopefully enjoying the sort of hospitality the Lone Star State has come to be famous for.

Acting as tour manager and translator for the band and film crew will be former UNT exchange student (and jazz guitarist/Czech music promoter) Vilem Spílka.

Prior to the Oct. 6 UNT performance a reception will be held with jazz music provided by a quartet of UNT students, three of whom have connections with the Janacek Academy of Music & Performing Arts in Brno, Czech Republic, with whom UNT maintains a formal exchange agreement.

Dr. James Scott, dean of the UNT College of Music, has this to say about the tour: "As we continue to emphasize the importance of international participation in the world of music through exchanges and special projects, it is very gratifying to learn that the film crew from Czech National Television wishes to come here and film the cimbalom orchestra performing and interacting in Texas. It demonstrates that these partnerships and cultural sharing are important to everyone in every part of the world."

On their way down to Austin maybe they'll pull the vans off the road at West and grab a sack-full of kolaches at the Czech Stop. (I know I would.)