Smetana Trio
Friday, May 8, 2026
9 p.m.
Pieve of San Casciano
Piazza San Casciano 1
San Casciano
CASCINA - PISA
Markéta Janouškova
Violin
Jan Páleníček
Cello
Jitka Čechová
Piano
CZECH REPUBLIC
PROGRAM
JOSEPH HAYDN (1732-1809)
Trio in G major, No. 39 "Gypsy"
Andante
Poco adagio
Finale: Rondò all’Ongarese - Presto
FELIX MENDELSSOHN-BARTHOLDY (1800-1847)
Trio in C minor, No. 2, Op. 66
Allegro energico e con fuoco
Andante espressivo
Scherzo: Molto allegro quasi presto
Finale: Allegro appassionato
Cascina and its Romanesque in Music
8:00 PM On the occasion of the concert, a guided tour as part of the "Cascina and its Romanesque in Music" project
Smetana Trio
CZECH REPUBLIC
Lo Smetana Trio, fondato nel 1934 dal leggendario pianista Josef Páleníček, è oggi uno dei più importanti ensemble d'Europa; nel 2024 ha celebrato il 90° anniversario dalla sua nascita. È regolarmente invitato nei festival più prestigiosi in Europa, Giappone, Brasile, USA, Canada, Corea del Sud, e collabora con direttori come Serge Baudo e John Axelrod e con orchestre quali Bamberg Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana, ONPL Orchestra Nantes, Prague Symphony Orchestra e Filarmonica di Praga. Dal 2000 incide per Supraphon, ricevendo numerosi premi da riviste come Diapason, Le Monde de la Musique, BBC Music Magazine e France Musique per CD dedicati a Smetana, Suk, Novák, Dvořák, Martinů, Zemlinsky, Rachmaninov e Arensky. La Wigmore Hall di Londra lo ha scelto come ensemble in residenza per la stagione 2024/2025.
Markéta Janoušková
Violin
CZECH REPUBLIC
She graduated from the "Hanns Eisler" Academy of Music in Berlin. She has performed in the most prestigious venues, including the Berlin Philharmonie, the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, the Rudolfinum, and Smetana Hall in Prague. She has recorded for European labels, and her solo album L’Astre Bleu (Genuin/Naxos Germany, 2023) received widespread acclaim. She recorded works by Miloslav Kabeláč for Deutschlandfunk Kultur/Capriccio alongside soloists from the Berlin Philharmonic. In 2022, she was nominated for the Dwight and Ursula Mamlok Prize in the category for soloists under 35.
Jan Páleníček
Cello
CZECH REPUBLIC
He studied under Saša Večtomov, Miloš Sádlo, and Paul Tortelier, further specializing in chamber music with Josef Vlach and his father, Josef Páleníček. A winner of numerous international competitions, he has performed with orchestras such as the Prague Symphony, the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Lugano Festival Orchestra, the Monte Carlo Philharmonic, and the Brno State Philharmonic. His tours have taken him across Europe, America, Africa, and Japan. His recordings of Brahms, Martinů, Rachmaninov, Dvořák, Tchaikovsky, and Haydn have been highly acclaimed.
Jitka Čechová
Piano
CZECH REPUBLIC
She studied with Jan Novotný, Peter Toperczer, Eugen Indjic, Vitali Berzon, Rudolf Kehrer, and Lazar Berman. A winner of numerous international competitions, she has achieved critical acclaim as a soloist in Europe, South Africa, South America, and Japan. She performs regularly at prestigious festivals and venues (Edinburgh, Graz, Paris, Frankfurt, Baden-Baden, Bodensee, Prague Spring). Chamber music is an essential part of her artistic identity. She has recorded numerous CDs both as a soloist and in ensembles.