Ivo Kahánek (1979)
Pianist and teacher
- graduate of the Janáček Conservatory in Ostrava, the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague and a number of international master classes
- he also studied piano at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London
- in 2004 he became the absolute winner of the Prague Spring International Music Competition, but had already succeeded in several domestic and international competitions before that
- he has performed with the Czech Philharmonic, the Berlin Philharmonic, the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, the WDR Cologne Orchestra and the Essen Philharmonic
- he also performs as a soloist and devotes himself to chamber music, including with the Dvořák Trio
- since 2025 he has been the director of the Prague Conservatory
Chapters
00:24 Interpretation as an interpreter of the composer's world
03:21 Have an intention and be honest with yourself
06:11 Specialisation must not be a calculation
07:26 Teacher – psychologist
08:32 MenART gives space to hidden talents
09:59 Mistake as a path to authenticity
10:44 Stage fright makes us more sensitive
How to recognise talent, how to support and develop it? How to guide students meaningfully? When does a pupil become an artist?
Questions concerning passion, obsession, motivation, inspiration and feedback are answered by prominent figures of the Czech art scene who, in their role as mentors in MenART, help talented students and their teachers find their own path.
Thus the MenART Impulse project was born – a ten-minute story with the ambition to move forward all those who are interested in art, work with art or study it. Desire is contagious!
Watch other episodes on our YouTube channel.
Want to know what was said off camera? You can listen to the extended version of the interview as audio podcasts onSpotifyand onApple Podcasts.