THE SUMMER programme of classical music concerts in Bratislava gets fairly sparse, with some shows outside the concert season moving to other, non-traditional venues.
Two classical music concerts are scheduled for late July and early August in the concert studio of the Slovak Radio, both of which offer free admission, though they are collecting funds for the monument of Slovak writer Martin Rázus, who studied theology in Edinburgh and travelled through western Europe.
“I have been organising events since 1989,” organiser of the concerts Ján Juráš told The Slovak Spectator, adding “my priorities are the works of Bach and charity concerts. I somehow got in contact with a Briton living in the Czech Republic, John Tregellas, who organises concerts through his The Prague Concert Co. and since then, I keep bringing musical bodies to Slovakia.”
Juráš added that he raises funds for the League Against Cancer and the Spolok Martina Rázusa association, which he founded 13 years ago and where he is currently “an honorary chairman”. The July 24 concert saw the Berkshire Youth Orchestra from the UK commemorating the start of the First World War.
A concert of the East Sussex Youth Orchestra is scheduled for August 4, beginning at 19:00. Conducted by Colin Metters, with soloist Sam Pearce on French horn, they will perform the works of Josef Suk, Richard Strauss and Gustav Mahler.
Although admission is free, tickets should be obtained through the Ticketportal selling points in Bratislava, or booked via jan@juras.sk or 0905/716-851. During the break, money will be collected to publish Rázus’ work whose theme is the First World War, a collection of poems titled To je Vojna (That Is War) and novelettes by female Slovak writer Božena Slančíková-Timrava.
