PKotik.com - Official Site of Petr Kotik

Associations
Petr Kotik
Composer, Conductor, Flutist
Petr Kotik entered the Prague Conservatory at the age of 14 to study flute with František Čech, who was the first flutist of the Czech Philharmonic. Kotik started to compose at the age of 19, studying composition privately with Vladimír Šrámek and Jan Rychlík in Prague, and later at the Vienna Music Academy with Karl Schieske, Hans Jelinek and Friedrich Cerha. In 1969, Kotik came to the U.S. as a Creative Associate at the Center for the Creative and Performing Arts at State University of New York in Buffalo. Since 1983, Kotik lives in New York City as an independent composer and conductor, directing the S.E.M. Ensemble as well as the Ostrava Center for New Music (New York office).

Since 1961, Kotik has been actively performing as an ensembles musicians and soloist. He directed Musica viva pragensis (1961-64), QUAX Ensemble (1966-69) and S.E.M. Ensemble (1970 to the present). The S.E.M. Ensemble expanded into The Orchestra of the S.E.M. Ensemble in 1992 with a debut in Carnegie Hall, premiering the complete Atlas Eclipticalis by John Cage, coducted by Kotik with David Tudor at the piano. Since then, Kotik has been increasingly active as a conductor. He has conducted orchestras on 3 continents, including opera productions and performances with multiple orchestras. In 1999, Kotik initiated a project of creating repertoire of works for 3 orchestras. Kotik organized and co-conducted Gruppen by Karlheinz Stockhausen at the Prague Spring Festival (1999), the Warsaw Autumn 2000 festival and the Berlin MaerzMusik 2004 festival, besides 3-orchestra performance at Ostrava Days festivals (2001, 2003 and 2005). To date, the 3-orchestras repertoire include major works by Alvin Lucier, Phill Niblock, Christian Wolff, Martin Smolka, and Kotik's own Variations for 3 orchestras. In 2003/04, Locus...Doublure...Solus by Olga Neuwirth in a version for 3 orchestras was also produced.

In 2001, Kotik founded the biennial Institute and Festival Ostrava Days, (in Ostrava, Czech Republic), which is dedicated to the advancement of new music with a focus on works for orchestra. The institute include approximately 35 students as well as a number of lectors, guests and a score of musicians, including the Janacek Philharmonic and Ostravská banda. Ostrava Days was realized in 2001, 2003 and 2005 and included, besides Kotik, such composers as Christian Wolff, Alvin Lucier, Tristan Murail, Frederic Rzewski, Louis Andriessen, and Roscoe Mitchell, as well as the Arditti Quartet, Bozzini Quartet, and soloists and ensembles from around the world.

The following list includes composers and performers with whom Kotik worked and associated with in a significant manner:
Richard Muhal AbramsMet in early 1990's in New York. 1997: premiered Impressions I for Orchestra by Abrams in New York.
Maria de AlvearMet in 1997. Upon the suggestion of Hildegard Kleb, commissioned a piece for orchestra. Premiered Alvear's World at Merkin Concert Hall in New York with Kleb and Joseph Kubera as soloists, which was released on World Edition 0002 label (Cologne). In 2001 Alvear was a guest at Ostrava Days 2001, premiering As Far As We Know for Soprano and large orchestra (Alvear and Janacek Philharmonic). Kotik conducted the piece in the Spring of 2003 in a special concert by the Janacek Philharmonic in Ostrava.
Louis AndriessenMet in the mid 1960s in Amsterdam (introduced by Frederic Rzewski). Kotik invited Andriessen to Ostrava Days 2005 as one of the main lectors. Kotik worked with Andriessen on performance of his La Passione, which he conducted in August 2005 at the Ostrava Days Festival.
David BehrmanIn 1973 Kotik invited David Behrman to participate in Chocorua 73, new music project he organized in New Hampshire in the summer. After moving to New York City in 1983, Kotik and Behrman worked together. In 1986 Behrman created a piece for Kotik and Ben Neill that was recorded and released on Ear-Rational label (Berlin) in 1992.
Michael von BielMet in 1964 in Vienna, when Kotik performed music by von Biel. Continuing friendship and collaborative meetings in Cologne, Germany. Kotik observed the recording of String Quartet with Accompaniment by von Biel at the W.D.R. Cologne.
Earle BrownMet for the first time in the mid 1960s in Cologne. Kotik invited Brown to conduct his music at SEM concerts in Buffalo and New York. Novara and Tracer were performed in 1984 and 1988 respectively. In 1993, Kotik conducted Brown's Available Forms I in Berlin and New York. In 1996, Kotik conducted Centering in Lincoln Center. Brown participated as advisor for both performances. In 1999, Kotik performed Modules by Brown with the Janacek Philharmonic on a concert for 3 orchestras. It was the first time Module I, Module II and Module III were performed simultaneously. In 2000, Brown and Kotik jointly conducted a concert at Alice Tully Hall in Lincoln Center: "Tribute to Earle Brown," the first major concert dedicated to the music of Brown in New York.
Thomas BucknerMet in 1978 at the New Music America Festival in New York. 1991: invited Buckner to perform an improvised solo over Exercise, a composition by Kotik for wind ensemble (performed and conducted by students of John Dewey High School). This led to continuous collaborative performances in the U.S. (East and West Coasts) and Europe, as well as numerous recording projects. Buckner's and Kotik's collaboration resulted in the creation of new compositions for baritone and orchestra by composers such as Somei Satoh, Alvin Singleton, Roscoe Mitchell and Francisco Feliciano, Jacques Bekaert as well as Buckner's own composition for baritone and strings In Moments of Great Passion (1965) on text by John Ralston Saul.
John CageMet in May 1964 in Vienna to perform Atlas Eclipticalis (percussion version) with Cage, David Tudor, and Friederich Cerha in Merce Cunningham's Event #1. Performed with Cage, Tudor & Robert Rauschenberg in September 1964 in Prague and Warsaw (as part of Merce Cunningham Dance Co. tour). Close contacts after arrival in the U.S. in 1969. In 1973, Cage suggested that Kotik research and realize music by Marcel Duchamp. Performed Song Books, first in the U.S. 1971-74. In 1982, premiered the complete Song Books with SEM (and Cage's assistance) in New York and Witten, Germany (fully staged opera house performance). Also in 1982, initiated and performed at concerts and exhibits of Cage's works commemorating his 70th birthday at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo, the Whitney Museum in New York, in Europe and throughout South America. In 1986, Cage performed with Elliott Sharp and Petr Kotik at a series of concerts at Diane Brown Gallery in New York. In 1987, Cage created a version of Ryoanji for Kotik and SEM and a flute solo version of Cheap Imitations for Kotik (recorded at W.D.R. by Kotik). In the late 1980s and early 1990s Cage performs numerous times with Kotik and SEM in New York. Their last collaboration was the preparation of the (first) complete performance on Atlas Eclipticalis in Carnegie Hall in October 1992. Cage dies in August 1992. Kotik forms a 86-piece orchestra and conducts the Carnegie Hall concert. The event launches The Orchestra of the S.E.M. Ensemble. In May 1992, the Carnegie Hall concert is repeated in Berlin plus an additional concert where Kotik conducts Cage's Concert for Piano and Orchestra (David Tudor at the piano). In 1993, Kotik releases CD on Wergo (Mainz, Germany): Concert for Piano and Orchestra (Joseph Kubera at the piano) and Atlas Eclipticalis (Cage participates on the recording of Atlas in the Spring of 1992). In 1997, Kotik conducts the Janacek Philharmonic in Prague, performing 103 by Cage. In 2000, Asphodel, Ltd. (San Francisco) releases 4-CD set with Kotik conducting Atlas Eclipticalis & Winter Music (live recording of the Berlin Performance with Tudor – 150 minutes version and 103, studio recording with the Janacek Philharmonic).
Cornelius CardewMet in 1962 in Warsaw. Became close friends, corresponded, Kotik performed Treatise with his group QUAX Ensemble in Prague and on tours (1966-69). Last meeting (Cardew, Frederic Rzewski and PK) in 1971 in New York. Cardew introduced Kotik to Feldman in London in 1966.
Rhys ChathamMet in 1971 in New York. Chatham invited Kotik to perform with the S.E.M. Ensemble at The Kitchen in 1972 (at the Mercer Art Center). In 1979, Chatham invited Kotik to the (1st) New Music America festival in New York to perform Many Many Women with the S.E.M. Ensemble. Chatham performed at an S.E.M. Ensemble event in Buffalo, and in 1986 he composed Waterloo for the S.E.M. Ensemble, which was performed numerous times in the U.S. and Europe.
Merce CunninghamMet in 1964 to perform Event #1 at the Museum of the 20th Century in Vienna. Participated in performances later that same year by the Cunningham Dance Company in Prague and Warsaw.
Julius EastmanMet in 1970 in Buffalo (both were members of the Center for the Creative and Performing Arts). Eastman became the founding member of the S.E.M. Ensemble and Kotik's closest collaborator until 1974, when he left the group. Kotik and Eastman performed and toured extensively in those years (1970-1974).
Morton FeldmanIntroduced by Cornelius Cardew, Kotik and Feldman met in 1966 in London. Kotik performed Feldman in Prague (1966-69). They corresponded and resumed contact in 1969, when Kotik arrived in the U.S. In January 1970, Kotik conducted a concert in Buffalo, consisting mostly of works by Feldman. When Feldman arrived in Buffalo in 1971, he collaborated closely with Kotik, composing Instruments I for the S.E.M. Ensemble. Kotik commissioned Feldman to compose a new work in 1987, but this was not realized, as Feldman passed away in September the same year. Instead, Kotik started to perform Feldman's compositions for Flute(s), Percussion and Piano (Celeste), starting with the critically acclaimed performance of For Philip Guston. The S.E.M. Ensemble performed at the Triannale Festival in Cologne all three trios - Crippled Symmetry, Why Patterns? and For Philip Guston - in a span of 11 hours. In 1993, Kotik started to conduct Feldman's orchestra pieces. With the SEM Orchestra, he conducted the American premiere of The Turfan Fragments and later For Samuel Beckett. Both pieces were performed numerous times in the U.S. and Europe and released in 2000 on Dog w/a Bone DWAB802 (New York). Kotik also conducted four major works for large orchestra: Viola in my Life IV (Liuh-Wen Ting), Coptic Light, Violin and Orchestra (Hana Kotková) and String Quartet and Orchestra (Bozzini Quartet). In 2003, Kotik also conducted The Swallows of Salangan for choir and orchestra.
Jon GibsonMet in 1970 in New York. Kotik and Gibson closely collaborated in the first half of 1980s, presenting Gibson's music as part of S.E.M. Ensemble performances in New York and Buffalo. In 1995, Gibson orchestrated his Waltz for Petr Kotik, who conducted it in New York and in Europe.
Dick HigginsMet in the summer of 1966 in Prague. Participated with Higgins, Alison Knowles, and Beb Vautier in performances in Prague. Maintained contact with Higgins after arrival in the U.S. (from 1969 on). Kotik collaborated with Higgins in 1990 (Spoken Music performance at Paula Cooper Gallery – also performing that evening were John Cage and Jackson Mac Low) and 1992. Higgins participated in S.E.M. Ensemble Fluxus concerts at the Willow Place Auditorium in Brooklyn in 1991 and 1992. Higgins composed Symphony #179 in 1991 for Petr Kotik. Kotik organized, conducted and performed the Memorial Concert for Dick Higgins at Paula Cooper Gallery in December 1998.
Joseph JarmanMet in 1967, when Kotik conducted Jarman's orchestra composition Vow of Infinite Compassion at the Society for Ethical Culture in New York.
Leroy JenkinsMet in New York in the early 1990s. Jenkins composed Gismo for the SEM Orchestra in 1967, which Kotik conducted several times in New York.
Rudolf KomorousMet in August, 1961. 1961 – 64: co-directed the ensemble for new music in Prague, Musica viva Pragensis, including tours and performances with John Cage, David Tudor and Merce Cunningham.
George LewisMet in 1982 in New York, where Lewis was the Music Director of The Kitchen. He invited Kotik to present two full evenings of his music at the Kitchen (the complete 4-hour Explorations in the Geometry of Thinking and the 6-hour Many Many Women was performed there on March 23 and 25). Conducted Collage by Lewis at AACM concert in New York in 1995.
Annea LockwoodMet in New York in the early 1990s. Kotik performed Lockwood's Shapeshifter with SEM Orchestra in 1997. In 2004, Lockwood composed Luminiscence for Thomas Buckner and the S.E.M. Ensemble. Kotik conducted the piece in New York and San Francisco and recorded the piece to be released on the Mutable Music label.
Alvin LucierLucier and Kotik met in Prague in 1965. In 1993, Kotik & SEM performed an evening of Lucier's work at the Paula Cooper Gallery. In 1997, Lucier composed Sweepers for Kotik and the SEM Orchestra. In 1999, Kotik commissioned Lucier to compose a piece for 3 orchestras, Diamonds. It was performed numerous times in Europe by the Janacek Philharmonic, Kotik conducting. In 2005, Lucier composed The Exploration of the House for Orchestra and electronics, which Kotik premiered in Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall the same year and performed a few months later at the Ostrava Days 2005 Festival.
Jackson Mac LowInvited Mac Low to perform with SEM in 1978, a meeting that resulted in numerous subsequent collaborations. Performed Mac Low's pieces in the U.S. and Europe, always with Mac Low's assistance or his participation as one of the performers.
Roscoe MitchellMet in 1995 when Kotik conducted Mitchell's Memoirs of a Dying Parachutist for Baritone and Orchestra. In 1998, Kotik premiered Mitchell's Fallen Heroes at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center and a year later at the Prague Spring Festival. In 2003, Kotik premiered Mitchell's Non-Cognitive Aspects of the City. Mitchell was also invited to Ostrava Days 2003 as one of the lectors/composers-in-residence.
Olga NeuwirthMet in 2001 in Berlin, asked Neuwirth to compose a piece for 3 orchestras and invited her to Ostrava Days 2003. Neuwirth accepted, but later decided, instead of writing a new version of Locus...Doublure...Solus for 3 orchestras, to entrust the work to her long-time collaborator Victoria Erber. Kotik conducted Locus...Doublure...Solus (3 orchestra version) in 2003 and 2004 in Ostrava and Berlin. Also conducted the American premiere of Locus...Doublure...Solus (original version for chamber orchestra) in New York in 2003.
Pauline OliverosMet in the early 1970s to perform with the Center for Creative and Performing Arts in Buffalo. In 1964 co-presented a concert of music by Oliveros and Kotik at the Wiener Festwochen (an evening shared with the rock group "Sonic Youth.") Between 1985 and '87: worked closely together in SEM performances presented in the U.S. and Europe. Oliveros composed Waking the Heart for Petr Kotik and SEM. In 1997, Kotik and the SEM Orchstra performed From Unknown Silences by Oliveros in Merkin Concert Hall in New York.
Benjamin PattersonPerformed with QUAX Ensemble Patterson's Paper Piece in the late1960s in Czech Republic and Slovakia. After arrival in the U.S. established contact with Patterson. Performed with Patterson in 1991 in Vienna and later in New York – at SEM Fluxus concerts in 1991 and 1992. In 1998 invited Patterson to perform with SEM Orchestra at the Paula Cooper Gallery in New York.
Frederic RzewskiMet in 1963 in Warsaw. Became close friends. Kotik composed Spontano in 1964 (for solo piano and 10 instruments) for Rzewski. 1971: Kotik and Rzewski toured the Northeast and Midwest, performing programs of music for flute and piano. 1972: performed together at the Burdocks Festival organized by Christian Wolff. 1973: Kotik invited Rzewski to join the summer program in New Hampshire Chocorua 73. 2003: Kotik invited Rzewski to Ostrava Days 2003, where Kotik conducted an excerpt of Rzewski's Scratch Symphony for symphony orchestra.
Kurt SchwertsikMet in January 1963 in Prague. Swertsik came for the performance of his Salotto Romano, which Kotik organized with Musica viva pragensis. Maintained a close contact with Schwertsik during his studies in Vienna (1963-1966), Wrote with Schwertsik in 1965 the manifesto "Aktuelle Musik."
Elliott SharpMet in the mid-1970s in Buffalo, where Sharp assisted Kotik with S.E.M. Ensemble concerts. After moving to New York in 1983, Kotik established contact with Sharp, performing his music both with the ensemble and orchestra. In 1992, Sharp composed Deadpan for SEM, which was premiered at the Raumzeitkunst Festival in Vienna, Austria.
Alvin SingletonMet in the early 2000s. In 2005, Singleton composed Say You Have This Ball of Meaning for Thomas Buckner and Petr Kotik (Baritone and Orchestra). Kotik conducted the work in New York and at the Santa Clara New Music Festival (California).
Karlheinz StockhausenMet in 1965 during Kotik's visit to Cologne (introduced by Oto Tomek, Director of new music at W.D.R.). Stockhausen listened to Kotik's recording of Music for 3; dinner and a long discussion followed (Stockhausen, Jaap Spek and Tomek at the W.D.R. basement restaurant). Stockhausen (as the head of the Electronic Studio at W.D.R.) commissioned Kotik to compose and realize a piece of electronic music at W.D.R. (Kotik created Kontrabandt at W.D.R. in 1967). In Spring 1967, Kotik performed with Stockhausen at Musik der Zeit series (premiering Kontrabandt). Summer, 1967: Invited by Stockhausen to Darmstadt to assist with the performance of Mixtur. 1997: meeting in Cologne resulted in Kotik's organizing and conducting (as one of 3 conductors) Stockhausen's Gruppen, performed at Prague Spring 1999 festival and Warsaw Autumn 2000 festival.
Henry ThreadgillMet in 1997 to conduct Threadgill's Veryation for Organ and Orchestra. In 2001, Threadgill composed And Yet for orchestra, which Kotik premiered at the Willow Place Auditorium in Brooklyn.
David TudorMet in May 1964 in Vienna (see Cage notes). In September 1964, Tudor performed Cage's Concert for Piano and Orchestra (Cage conducting) with musicians organized by Kotik in Prague and Warsaw. Re-established close contact after arrival in the U.S. in 1964. Numerous visits to Tudor's house in Stony Point, New York. Tudor performed Winter Music by Cage with Kotik conducting Cage's Atlas Eclipticalis in Carnegie Hall in 1992 and at the Konzerthaus Berlin in 1993. Tudor also performed Concert for Piano and Orchestra by Cage with Kotik conducting. In the spring of 1993, Kotik initiated the release of Tudor's first CD on Ear-Rational label (Berlin). It contained Tudor's Neural Synthesis recorded live at an SEM concert in New York, and Cage's Solo for Piano recorded in 1982 in Amsterdam. In the fall of 1993, Kotik conducted the SEM Orchestra at Lincoln Center, where Tudor performed with Joseph Kubera Concert for Piano and Orchestra by Cage in a version for 2 pianos and 2 orchestras. This version was initiated by Kotik following his knowledge of Cage's working procedure, which he observed during their collaboration, especially at early performances of the Concert in Prague and Warsaw.
Christian WolffKotik performed Christian Wolff's music as early as 1963 in Prague. They met in 1972 in Vermont where Kotik participated on "Burdocks Festival" – a one-day outdoor performance organized by Christian Wolff. In 1979, Wolff participated in the SEM concert dedicated to the music of Wolff in Buffalo, New York. Since 1994, Kotik and Wolff have been collaborating, which has resulted in 3 major orchestra compositions composed by Wolff for Kotik: Spring (1995/96) (fourth movement composed specifically for SEM Orchestra), Ordinary Matter for 3 Orchestras (2001), and Orchestra:Pieces (2005) – dedicated to Kotik. Kotik conducted Wolff's compositions in New York, Berlin, and Ostrava. Wolff was one of the main lectors at Ostrava Days 2001, 2003 and 2005 and the transcripts of his lectures were published by the Ostrava Center for New Music. The lectures were edited by Kotik, in collaboration with Wolff.
La Monte YoungKotik performed works by La Monte Young in the Czech Republic in the 1960s. After arriving in the U.S. Kotik established contacts with La Monte, performing his compositions both as soloist and with the S.E.M. Ensemble. Their last collaboration was in 1987 when the S.E.M Ensemble performed Second Dream of the High-Tension Line Step Down Transformer at Paula Cooper Gallery in New York. In 1967, Kotik performed an orchestra version of Composition 1960 #7 at the Kunst & Austellungshalle in Bonn, Germany.