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2019

April 6                         

Concert with Juraj Filas, Ivan Zenaty and Dmitri Vorobiev at the Kotyza residence

 

April 9

Weill Recitel Hall with Legato Arts with

• Ivan Zenaty, violin

• Dmitri Vorobiev, piano

 

September 6               

Czech embassy in Washington with the Ambassador Hynek Kmonicek

Introduction of new project: Concert to honor all victims of terrorism for the 20th anniversary of 9/11 in Central park NY in 2021

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2018

February 18                

Concert with Juraj Filas and Ivan Zenaty at the Kotyza residence

 

March to August         

Assisting Czech TV crew in making document about the Czech tenor Adam Plachetka while singing in the Metropolitan Opera

 

November 9th

HK Philharmonic Orchestra in Hradec Kralove, Czechia with:

• Juraj Filas: Oratio Spei

• Matthew Plenk, tenor (USA)

• Anda-Louise Bogza, soprano

• Roman Janal, baritone

• Kuhn Mix Choir

 

November 10th           

Concert to celebrate end of 1st World War and to celebrate Veterans day with:

• Juraj Filas: Requiem Oratio Spei

• HK Philhamonic Orchestra in st. Vit Cathedral in Prague, Czechia

• Mathew Plenk ,baryton of Metropolitan opera

• Anda-Louise Bogza,  soprano

• Filip Bandzak, baritone

• Kuhn mixed choir

• Istvan Denes, conductor         

                                     

November 11th         

Concert to benefit building new organ in Prague's St. Vit. Cathedral, Humpolec, Czechia 

Special guests: Maestra Iva Benackova, soprano 

Moderator Jakub Pustina along with:

• Ivan Zenaty, violin

• Profesor Juraj Filas, piano

• Stanislav Bogunia, piano

• Anna Kotyza, piano

 

Soloists: 

• Mathew Plenk, tenor of Metropolitan opera

• Catherine Fleming, USA, soprano

• Stanislav Kotyza, baryton

• Kristina Kotyza, soprano

• Miroslava Casarova, soprano

• Jana Borkova, soprano

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2017

January 31st 1st  to February 3rd

Hosting Gabriela Benackova , who was invited by Harmony Foundation to be part of cooperation between the Czech Centre in NY  and the Metropolitan Opera in presenting original manuscript of Antonin Dvorak Rusalka at the time of the Met premier of Rusalka

 

January 31st, 2017

VIP Opening with the Minister of culture of  the Czech republic Daniel Herman, Gabriela Benackova, General Consul NY  Martin Dvorak,  Barbara Karpetova, Jan Burian, Silvia Hroncova,  Magdalena Vasaryova

Bohemian Spirit, Czech Center

 

February 1st, 2017

Concert in the Ballroom of the Czech Center in NY with Michael Beckerman, Petr Nekoranec, Davis Leigh, Ken Noda

 

February 12th, 2017

Premier of Rusalka in the Metropolitan Opera, introduction of representative of the Prague National Opera to Peter Gelb

 

March 11th, 2017

Participating in the ‘Rye Got Talent” competition in cooperation with the Rye City Lion Club

 

April 24th, 2017 

Concert : Ivan Zenaty, piano and Sandra Shapiro, piano

Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall

 

May 27th to June 7th

Multiple meetings in Prague  with cultural representative including Mrs. Silvia Hroncova, the head of the National Opera in Prague

 

September 19th,2017

Introducing Harmony Foundation to the president of the Slovakia Andrej Kisca at the Slovak residency of the  Permanent Mission to the United Nations. 

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2016

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February 2nd, 2016

Concert : Ivan Zenaty, violin and Sandra Shapiro, piano

Ballroom of the  Czech Center in Manhattan

 

April 11th, 2016  

Concert : Ivan Zenty, piano and Sandra Shapiro, piano

Weill Recital Hall in Carnegie Hall

 

May 21st, 2016

Dedication of painting of Aja Vrzanova, by the Czech artist Jitka Exler

With BBLA, Czech Center in Manhattan

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October 27th, 2016 and October 28th 2016

Participated in program at the Czech Embassy in Washington, celebrating anniversary of establishment of  Czechoslovakia

 

Reached out to the world classical radio stations to honoring all victims of terrorism by airing Filas Requiem Oratio Spei

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2015  

March 4th 2015 St. John Devine the Divine

Organized support for the world premier of Juraj Filas  “The Wisdom of the Wise Old Man” tby Musica Sacra with Kent Tritle conducting.

 

The piece was written to honor the victims of Terezin, the concentration camp, 40 miles outside Prague.  Terezin is the tragic site of the internment of many Czechoslovakia’s greatest musicians of the 20th century. Although not an extermination camp itself, until the end of the war, it was from this place that these musicians were ultimately transported to the extermination camps of the Auschwitz and Treblinka to die in the ovens. One of these prisoners was the Czech composer, Professor of the Prague Conservatory Rudolf Karel, the last student of Antonin Dvorak. Karel’s student, Professor Jan Bartos was Filas teacher of composition. During World War II, Professor Karel hid partisan fighters against Nazism in his country house and when this was discovered he was imprisoned in the notorious Pankrac prison in Prague. Then he was transferred to Terezin camp where he died in March 1945.

In Terezin he wrote opera: “The Three Golden Hairs of Grandfathers wisdom” based on a fairytale written by the Czech classical author Karel Jaromir Erben. Professor Karel wrote this opera on pieces of toilet paper, which were then smuggled out of the camp by a guard and given to Karel’s student, Zbynek Vostrak. Mr. Vostrak composed the score and piano reduction. The opera was premiered on October 28, 1947 in the National Theatre in Prague.

Filas’s cantata reflects his incredible bravery and humanism of an unyielding character, adapts parts of the text of Dante’s Inferno.

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April 15th, 2015

Introduced Harmony Foundation to the Czech Prime Minister

Andrej Babis , Czech Center, NY

 

October 30th, 2015 in Rye, a private concert and dinner with introduction of "How Hope Grows" to Harmony Foundation supporters.

 

November 2nd, 2015 at 8pm at Carnegie Hall, Juraj Filas Requiem Oratio Spei is presented by Oratorio Society with Kent Tritle conducting.

The members of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum attended.

2014

This year was spent on preparing the the CD release, including the booklet of Juraj Filas’s Requiem.  We had various meeting with the Czech and Slovak government representatives,  and introduced Harmony Foundation’s plan to gain support for our goal to air the Requiem on radio stations around the world by the United Nations.

 

We also met with Matthew Gurewitsch and discussed strategies introductions of HF goals.

 

The release of CD with the booklet with donated artwork by Dusan Kadlec happened in September.

 

We had a meeting with the 9/11 Museum to discuss the potential of a live performance of the Requiem for the  15th anniversary event on 9.11 2016.

 

In November we had another successful fundraising concert featuring Ivan Zenaty on violin, Sandra Shapiro on piano, Juraj Filas on piano, and Anna Kotyza on piano.

 

Our year ended with a meeting with Minister of Culture of the Czech Republic, introducing Harmony Foundation, our goals, and our history of supporting exceptional Czech cultural talents in the USA.

 

2013 

In April, we held two successful fundraising dinners for the recording of Juraj Filas’ Requiem.  A few months later, in July, the recording took place in Prague’s Rudolfinum with  thePrague Symphony Orchestra,

Kuhn mixed Chorus, Kent Tritle, Ana Maria Martinez, Mathew Plenk and Filip Bandzak.

 

In September, ten radio stations across the globe aired the Requiem on 9/11.  Requiem is available for purchase via CD Baby.  

 

At the end of the year, we had a meeting with the head National Theater representative to discuss possible cooperation.

 

2012 

DECEMBER 2012 Concert a Major Success!

Harmony Foundation ended 2012 with a very special concert by Ivan Ženatý on Violin and James Vaughan on Piano and we were thrilled at how well it was received.

 

Music critics, audiences, and fellow musicians have called Ivan Ženatý one of Europe’s most important violinists. He was accompanied by pianist James Vaughan who is Head of the Music Staff at La Scala.

 

Thank you to the NY Concert Review for their wonderful writeup, which you can read here: http://www.nyconcertreview.com/blog/?p=2184 

 

 

2011

Juraj Filas received a standing ovation after the world premiere of his Song of Solomon at Carnegie Hall on April 27, 2012.  The Czech and Slovak press were thrilled and here is just one of many articles on his successful concert in NYC,  Cesky skladatel sklidil ovace v Carnegie Hall.

 

To read an exciting NY Times article on the event we produced in September of 2011 along Kent Tritle for his Sacred Music in a Sacred Place series, click here.

 

Part of the concert was the U.S. premiere of Czech/Slovak composer Juraj Filas’ “Oratio Spei (Prayer of Hope)” requiem. (click here for a copy of the program). 

 

Mr. Filas dedicated this special piece to the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the day’s ten year anniversary.  Harmony Foundation partnered with conductor Kent Tritle and the organization Sacred Music in Sacred Spaces to bring the concert to the Church of St. Ignatius Loyola in Manhattan on September 14th, 2011.  

 

“Oratio Spei” is based on the traditional and emotional Latin Mass for the deceased in which the dying ask for forgiveness as they depart this world.  It brings to life the New Testament quote “I am alpha and omega, resurrection and life; whoever believes in me, will live forever;” a message of turning sorrow and despair into hope.

 

Mr. Filas created the music as an expression of his deep desire that positive forces of reason and humanity will triumph over war and destruction. 

 

Juraj Filas is considered to be one of the Europe’s most important contemporary composers today. His work so far includes more than 90 compositions: symphonies, cantatas, chamber  music,  the requiem “Oratio Spei”  and, more recently, an opera.  He is currently a professor at the  music faculty of the Academy of Music in Prague.

 

2010

Starting the year off, founder, Marta Kotyza traveled to Rome with Czech Composer Juraj Filas to meet world renowned Conductor and Musical Director James Conlon and to present Juraj’s musical compositions.  Mr. Conlon was thrilled with Mr. Filas’s work and looked forward to conducting one of his compositions.  Following the Rome trip, Marta headed over to Hradec, Kralove in the Czech Republic to meet with Archbishop Duka and to discuss the possibility of bringing Dokonane Stvoreni to Chram Svateho Vita in Prague.

 

In July, we discussed the possibility of a new role for our friend, Eva Urbanova, in the opera Salome and Kundry in Prague.

 

At the end of August, Harmony met with the Czech Ambassador to the United Nations, Martin Palous,  about bringing Juraj Filas’ Requiem to Carnegie Hall for 10th anniversary of 9/11.  A very exciting project we hope comes to fruition. 

 

Last, but not least, we traveled West to Los Angeles with Juraj Filas for the U.S. Premiere of Juraj’s piece “There Was A Pathway.”   James Conlon conducted it at with the Colburn School of Music at the Ambassador Auditorium in Pasadena.

 

To celebrate we held a dinner party at Lucie & Chris Ayres’ residence in the Hollywood Hills with Slovak Cultural Representative, Eva Jurinova, in attendance. 

 

2009

March

 

At Prague’s Rudolfinum, premiere of Dokonane Stvoreni by Juraj Filas

Honorable dinner with US ambassador, David Gainer, at “U Tluste Husy”

 

May

San Diego Opera with Lubica Vargicova

 

July

In the Czech republic, preparing for Kutna Hora event

 

October

In Kutna Hora, Czech Republic, Harmony Foundation founder, Stanislav Kotyza, was knighted by Blanicky

Rytiri for all his charitable work and for donating a new church organ to Humpolec’s church.

 

A concert celebrating his knighting took place afterwards in Humpolec.

 

December

Christmas concert at Narodni budova (National Hall) with cooperation with SUV and BBLT.

Program included:

Vlado Chmelo, baritone

Isabella Mederi, soprano

Stanislav Kotyza, baritone

Juraj Filas, piano

Children from the MET Opera’s Children Chorus

 

2008

Harmony Foundation has commissioned composer Juraj Filas to compose two songs - one dedicated to the historical opening of the Czech National Building in New York (date to be confirmed, but the event will be towards the end of this year) and another for our own Harmony Foundation.

 

This past February, Harmony sponsored the trip of Roman Janal, a Slovak Baritone, who came over to audition for the Metropolitan Opera.

 

In April we held our annual Organ Competition in Humpolec, Czech Republic, and had a Spring concert for the Czech Council General Halka Kaiserova in Rye, New York.  Juraj Filas, Stanislav Kotyza, Kristina Kotyza, Anna Kotyza performed.

 

We are also sponsoring Roman Bartos, a Czech Sculptor.  He is currently residing in East Hampton, NY and working on many sculptures for an upcoming show.

 

Other news, we continue to do work with Juraj Filas - we coordinated the introduction of Juraj Filas’s Requiem to James Conlon and sponsored the recording of his “Love Song” which took place in June in Prague. 

 

In July, with our help Eva Urbanova, and Robert Lombardo met and Eva Vargicova and Miroslav Dvoskry  auditioned for the MET.

 

2007

 

December 

Our annual Christmas concert took place in Rye on the 21st .

Juraj Filas, Stanislav Kotyza, Kristina Kotyza, Anna Kotyza performed.

 

June/July

Yearly organ competition in Humpolec, Czech Republic

 

May

“Concert of Friendship” at St. Nicolas Church, Humpolec, Czech Republic

Czech premiere of composer Juraj Filas’s De Profundis clamavi ad Te Domine, a sonata for trombone and organ

 

Joseph Alessi, principal trombonist of NY Philharmonic orchestra

 

Ales Barta, organ

 

Program included:

D. Buxtehude: Ciaccona e-moll for organ

J.S.Bach: Toccata a fuga d-moll /BWV 565/ for organ

A.Guilmant: Concert piece, Op. 88 for trombone and organ

J. Pachelbel: Ciaccona F-dur for organ

J.S.Bach: Preludium and fuga e-moll /BWV 548 / for organ

 

 

April 

Violin concert by Ivan Zenaty in Rye, New York

 

Program included:

J.S. Bach: Sonata No. 3 in E Major, BWV 1006

Preludio

Loure

Gavotte en Rondeau

Menuet I

Menuet II

Bourree

Giga

 

February 

Fundraising concert for the repair of the church organ at St. Peter’s in Zahorska Bystrica

 

Lubica Vargicova, soprano

 

Miro Dvorsky, tenor

 

Daniel Buranovsky, piano

 

Program included:

Pucinni: Lastovicka / Vargicova

Puccini: Tosca – Cavaradossi / Dvorsky

Verdi: Traviata – Parigi duet / duet

Puccini: Gianni Schichi – Lauretka / Vargicova

Bohm: Still wie die Nacht / Dvorsky

Liszt: Sen lasky / Buranovsky

Franek: Panis angelicus / duet

Gound: Ave Maria / Dvorsky

Weber A.L: Cats Memory / Buranovsky

Bernstein: West side story – Somewhere / Vargicova

Lehar: Vesela vdova – Lippen sweigen / duet

 

 

January 

“The Mid-Winter Organ Festival”

U.S. premier of Juraj Filas : De Profundis clamavi ad Te Domine at Church of St. Ignatius Loyola, New York, NY

 

Commissioned and sponsored by Stanislav and Marta Kotyza, Harmony Foundation

 

Trombon : Joseph Alessi / principal trombonist of NY Philharmonic Orchestra.

 

Organ: Kent Tritle

 

2006

 

December

Our annual Christmas Concert took place at Coveleigh Club in Rye, NY.  It featured the famous violinist, Ivan Zenaty, who was accompanied by the pianist, Katarina Zenata as well as children from the Metropolitan Opera Children Chorus.  The concert was attended by over 300 people.

 

November

In Fulda, Germany Harmony Foundation sponsored the premier of “Requiem” composed by Juraj Filas, commissioned by Hubert Wiesenmaier. There will be an additional performance of the “Requiem” on March 22nd, 2007 in Prague, Czech Republic.

 

June

Harmony assisted with reconstruction of Zahorska Bystrica’s church’s organ in Bratislava, Slovakia.

 

May

Juraj Filas, composer, completes our commissioned anthem,“Children of the World”, for a documentary currently being filmed.

 

April

Harmony sponsors an Organ Concert in Humpolec, Czech Republic with organist Karl Paukert from Ohio, Cleveland.

 

February

Harmony assists the renovation of the National Winter Stadium in Humpolec, Czech Republic, after a natural disaster.

 

2005

 

March

Metropolitan Diva Eva Urbanova performed in a special benefit concert for Harmony Foundation.

 

October

Harmony Foundation sponsored the first international organ playing competition in Humpolec, Czech Republic.

 

December

December 16th was the Czech TV showing of the documentary “Hlidac Stracene Volavky” about Harmony Foundation, and it’s goal of continuing to bring examples of the American philanthropy to the Czech and Slovak Republics.

 

On December 18th, 55 Drake Smith Lane in Rye, New York was the site for our annual Christmas Concert. This year it included Juraj Filas, composer, Jeniece Golbourne. mezzo soprano, Elena Doria, Chorus Master of the Metropolitan Opera Children Choir, children from the Metropolitan Opera Children Choir, children from the New York City Opera, and Stanislav Kotyza, baritone. The concert was filmed by Keith Behrle Productions, Inc. and is going to be used for the documentary film Children’s World Anthem

 

Christmas Eve: Kristina and Stanislav appeared on the radio program A Prairie Home Companion live at the Town Hall Theater in NYC. It was broadcast on WNYC 820AM and 93.9FM radio stations. Kristina was interview by Garrison Keillor. Kristina and Stanislav sang Czech Christmas carols.

 

 

2004

 

May, 12

The Golden Prague, International Television Festival : Presented The Golden Prague Award for Best Musical Film to Dr. Marie Kucerova for her contribution to international promotion of Leos Janacek in Prague, Czech Republic.

 

 

2003

 

March 23

Assigned contract to build a new musical organ for St. Nicholas Church in Humpolec, Czech Republic with the company Kansky-Brachtl from Krnov, Czech Republic.

 

December 15

Wainwright House, Rye, New York : Christmas Concert with members of the Metropolitan Opera Chorus

 

 

2002

 

January

Sponsored recording of CD byJaroslav Seifer in the Czech Republic for use in Czech Schools

 

March 21

Carnegie Hall : Castle Guard and Czech Police Orchestra  Benefit concert at Carnegie Hall which paid tribute to the NY Police and Firefighters for their bravery during 9/11

 

 

September 19

Unveiling of statue of the first Czechoslovak President Masaryk in Washington Square Park; Washington, DC. Harmony Foundation, Inc. helped with a program for the reception attended by President of the Czech Republic Mr. Havel and Mrs. Havel; President of the Slovak Republic, Mr.Kovac and Mrs. Kovac; Madeleine Albright, and Milos Forman

 

December 6

St. Nicolas folk musical tradition in Rye. A yearly Holiday festival which introduces and exposes Czech and the Slovak tradition to children from other parts of the world.

 

December 8

Violin and piano concert in Osborn, Rye benefiting senior citizens from the Osborn Retirement Community.

 

December 13

Violin and piano concert in Resurrection School in Rye. Helping expose children of ages 5 to 14 to classical music.

 

December 15

Concert with Mr. Ivan Zenaty and Mrs. Katarina Zenata