Last Thursday, November 16th, a Commemorative Concert took place in the Auditorio Nacional de Música in Madrid on the occasion of the Day for the Struggle for Freedom and Democracy in the Czech Republic.

The Spanish-Czech Chamber of Commerce together with the Centro Checo in Madrid organised this concert, with the participation of two laureates of the International Prague Spring Competition: Matouš Zukal, pianist, and Anna Sysová, clarinettist.

Matouš Zukal belongs to the most interesting representatives of the young generation of pianists. He has won numerous piano competitions, among others, in 2019 he won the Bohuslav Martinů Foundation Competition, also receiving the prize for the best participant. In 2021 he was a laureate of the prestigious Prague Spring International Music Festival piano competition where he received the second prize, the Gideon Klein Foundation Prize, and the Czech Centre Prize.

Anna Sysová has won competitions not only in her home country but also abroad, winning the Concorso per Clarinetto Carlino 2015, International Competition for Woodwinds in Wroclaw 2014, Markneukirchener Wettbewerd 2014 and Czech Clarinet Art 2014. She was a laureate of the Prague Spring International Music Festival 2022. At the Prague International Spring Music Festival competition she won the second prize, as well as other prizes, such as the Bohuslav Martinů Prize, the Mercedes Benz Prize and the Prize for the most successful Czech participant of the whole competition.

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