Bio's

The Czech Boys Choir from the city of Hradec Kralove in North Bohemia, maintains the famous traditions of boychoir singing in the Czech territory as it began in the 13th century with the first boys’ choir at the St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague. Current artistic director, Jakub Martinec, began singing as a child with the first boys’ choir established in the region by Jiri and Kveta Skopal in 1982.

As a renowned choral conductor in the Czech Republic, Mr Martinec has performed with eminent orchestras, ensembles and musical personalities in some of the world’s most famous concert halls, including Meistersingerhalle, Nürnberg (2005, 2009), Grace Cathedral in San Francisco (2004), Winspear Hall in Edmonton, Canada (2006), the Pantheon and the Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome for the leaders of the Vatican (2009, 2010), and regularly at the Rudolfinum Dvorak Hall in Prague. With his choirs, he performed the opening concert of choral cycle of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra (2006), and has appeared at numerous international music festivals including The Prague Spring Festival (2004, 2005), AmericaFest International Festival for Boys’ & Men’ Choirs including the VIth World Choral Symposium in Minneapolis (2002), Festival d'Ambronay (2006), Mitte Europa (2008, 2009), and the highly acclaimed World Festival of Singing for Men and Boys (Prague, Hradec Kralove 2004, 2008). His recording of Britten's A Ceremony of Carols received a Recording of the Month award by the London-based Classical Music Web in 2004. Mr. Martinec was a conductor with Boni Pueri for more than 10 years, and in 2006 - 2010 he was named the artistic assistant head master of the Boni Pueri Choir School.

Jennifer Beynon Martinec, conductor of The Czech Boys Choir - Young Men’s Ensemble is a voice and music education graduate from the University of British Columbia and the University of Western of Ontario. A former member of the Amabile Youth Singers, the World Youth Choir, UBC Singers, and the Canadian Chamber Choir, Jennifer was a choral conductor and vocal teacher at St. Michael’s Choir School in Toronto, Ontario, conductor of the Amabile Boys Training Choir, and the assistant conductor to Linda Beaupre and the Bach Children's Choir. Jennifer has studied voice with David Meek and Darryl Edwards, and choral conducting with Dianne Loomer, James Fankhauser, Ken Fleet and Linda Beaupre. In 2001, she was the University of Western Ontario recipient of the Don Wright Scholarship for Vocal Music and in 2003, she was the University of Toronto recipient of the Lloyd Bradshaw Scholarship in Choral Conducting. Since 2005, Jennifer has been a private voice teacher and conductor with Boni Pueri, a lecturer and voice teacher at Charles University, and currently teaches at the English International School in Prague.

Martin Fisl is the main pianist of the Czech Boys Choir. He graduated at the Prague Conservatory and continued his studies at the Academy of Music with prof. Leichner. In 2001 he took part in the Brno Janacek competition and won the II. prize and prize for best interpretation of works by Bohuslav Martinu. In 1996 he became a finalist in the World Piano Competition in the U.S.A. in Salt Lake City. Mr. Fisl collaborates regularly with symphony orchestras. Since 1994, he regularly plays premieres of contemporary Czech composers, especially Jarmila Mazourová, Ctirad Kohoutek, Jiří Matys, Petr Eben, Eduard Douša, Pavel Trojan and others. He records often for the Czech Radio. Since 2000 he is giving concerts regularly in Europe, Canada, the United States and Asia, both with the solo program for piano and piano-violin duo (with Jakub Sedlacek), and in particular with choirs.