Professor Ladislav Kyselák made his mark in history of viola playing not only as an outstanding concert artist but also as an extraordinary teacher who brought on dozens of viola players. Many of these players became laureates of instrumental competitions and they currently belong among leading viola players and are members of prestigious orchestras both in the Czech Republic and abroad. Some of them also pursue a teaching career.
The beginnings of professor Kyselák’s teaching career dates back to year 1982 when he started teaching at Pardubice Conservatory. He taught there the main branch of study as well as chamber music. One of his most prominet graduates from this period was Jiří Řehák, currently a member of Czech Philharmonic. In 1986 Ladislav Kyselak finished his work in Pardubice and he moved on to Slovakia, where he became a concertmaster of viola group at Slovak Philharmonic in Bratislava. At the same time he continued his teaching career and taught at Bratislava Conservatory and at Academy of Performing Arts Bratislava.
In 1989 was Ladislav Kyselák offered a position as a member of a viola player in Janáček Quartet which meant for him return to his home town Brno and also the start of a teaching career at Janáček Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Brno (JAMU). There he taught not only the main branch of study and chamber music but also the history and literature of musical instrument. Besides his pedagogical work he was also involved in organizational activities. For many years he was the head of Department of String Instruments and also a member of committee of Leoš Janáček International Competition that is organized by JAMU.
During his teaching activities at JAMU in Brno professor Kyselák brought on a number of outstanding graduates, let us mention at least some of them:
Pavel Ciprys – deputy concertmaster of viola players of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, a member of Apollon Quartet, a laureate of music competitions (e.g. Beethovenův Hradec – second position), a chamber music violist and a solo violist, various recordings of CDs, TV, radio.
Dominik Trávníček – second deputy concertmaster of viola players of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, a laureate of a music competition Beethovenův Hradec, an outstanding chamber music player.
Veronika Lénártová, PhD. – JAMU and University of Haag graduate, the first graduate of postgraduate study programme, currently a member of Rotterdam Symphony Orchestra, she pursues both solo and chamber music careers.
Kyoko Uehara (Japan) – teaching in Nagano, a member of various chamber music groups.
David Šlechta – for more than five years he was a member of Osaka Symphony Orchestra, presently he plays in Brno Philharmonic Orchestra, and pursues his solo and chamber music (Matys Quartet) careers. He has also been teaching at JAMU in Brno since 2013.
Klára Hegnerová – used to be a member of National Theatre Brno orchestra, currently she is a member of viola group in Brno Philharmonic Orchestra, a member of Korngold Quartet (former Di Gioia), she has received a number of quartet competition prizes (e.g. the first place at Leoš Janáček International Competition in 2010).
Petr Pšenica - deputy concertmaster of viola players of Brno Philharmonic Orchestra, a member of chamber music groups and a solo player.
Juraj Madari – a member of Slovak Chamber Orchestra, a chamber music player and a solo player.
Martin Petrík - a member of Slovak Chamber Orchestra, he is also active in the area of chamber music and conducting.
Ladislav Kyselák’s teaching activities were not only focused on the institutions he worked for. He also taught at master instrumental classes both in the Czech Republic and abroad. Let us mention some of those: master classes in Nagoya (Japan), in Seoul (South Korea), in Helsinki – Sibelius Academia (Finland). During the last years of his life he regularly visited University of Regensburg (Germany).
Professor Kyselák’s students remember their teacher as a strict teacher but also very kind. His work was characteristic not only by thoroughness and high level of professionalism but mainly by his love for music and artistic humbleness. His students are bound to take many of these things to their professional lives and therefore they will spread professor Kyselák’s heritage to the future generations.
Prof. Miloslav Jelínek