The former winner of the Carl Flesch Violin Competition spent much of his life leading orchestras in Australia
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Czech violinist Ladislav Jásek has died at the age of 93. He won first prize at the 1956 Carl Flesch Violin Competition and enjoyed an international career as a soloist, concertmaster and teacher.
Jásek graduated from the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, where he studied with Jaroslav Pekelský. After his competition victory, he embarked on concert tours in Europe to Germany, Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary, England, Belgium. In 1959 he toured further abroad to India, Japan and Australia with pianist Josef Hála.
His international travels sparked interest from the Czechoslovakian secret police, who sought information from him about the West. In 1960, Jásek and his family were granted asylum in Australia.
Settling in Australia, Jásek began a three-year tenure at Elder Conservatorium of Music in Adelaide. In 1973, he played at the opening of the Sydney Opera House, going on to lead the opera and ballet orchestra for ten years.
In 1983, he returned to Adelaide to serve as concertmaster of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and return to the Elder Conservatorium. Jásek retired in 1993.
In a post on social media, the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra described Jásek as ’an invaluable member of the orchestra, admired for his leadership and joyful approach to music-making. His legacy will forever be felt by those who had the privilege of playing alongside him and witnessing him perform.’
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