| CONVERGENCE Duo  
The duo was formed by Dan Dlouhý and violinist Lenka
Župková in 1993, as a smaller-scale and more theatrical version of the DAMA DAMA
ensemble. Here again the selection and ordering of the compositions is important not only
from the point of view of musical quality and parameters, but also that of their
expressive and semantic content, so that the to-and-fro of convergence between the duo's
two protagonists, with their differing means of expression, becomes the axis of the entire
program.
The duo makes use not only of the two players' considerable technical abilities, which
come from their formal training in music, but also of modern musical techniques
(electronic musical instruments, half-playback), a number of special instruments devised
by Dan Dlouhý, and elements of theater (make-up, masks, costumes, lighting, etc.)
realized in collaboration with K. Blahová and M. Popelká, two graduates in stage design
from Brno's JAMU Music Academy.
CONVERGENCE has made successful appearances in a number of European countries, including
Germany, Poland, Austria and the Netherlands. The duo presented the planetary oratorio
"Adam and Eve" during the 1994 New Music Exposition in Brno. Its repertoire
includes a number of works written especially for it by leading Czech composers, as well
as by Dan Dlouhý himself.
 
Jana Horáková
- born in 1965
- electric violin and small percussion instruments
- graduate of the Brno Conservatory (1985)
- a graduate of JAMU in Brno (where she studied with Prof. Adolf Sýkora, a member of the
Janáček Quartet, in 1991)
- a member of the Brno State Philharmonic since 1992, travelling with the orchestra (as
well as with other ensembles, such as the JAMU Chamber Orchestra, the Bohuslav Martinů
Chamber Orchestra, the Czech Chamber Soloists, the Telemann Music Collegium, Tibia, and
others) to a number of European and Asian countries
- has taken part in a number of musicians' courses in Austria and Spain
- a member of CONVERGENCE since 1995
Lenka Župková
- born in 1970
- a founding member of the CONVERGENCE duo (1993), a member until 1995
- a graduate of the Ostrava Conservatory (1990)
- a graduate of JAMU in Brno (1994)
- has studied musicology at the Faculty of Arts of MU Brno and the College of Music in
Hannover since 1994
a member of many chamber orchestras and ensembles in various European countries (e.g.
the Gustav Mahler International Youth Orchestra, conducted by Claudio Abbado, the
International Orchestra of the Yehudi Meduhin Foundation, etc.)
DAN DLOUHÝ - SELECTED WORKS
INSTRUMENTAL WORKS FOR CHAMBER ENSEMBLE
Claves for five percussionists (1987); 00:07:00, CR,
TV, CD Pehy PY 00052 AAD CD 209.00
ADAI for piano and three percussionists (joint project with Adam Kubíček and Ivo Medek)
(1987); 00:10:00, HR, CR, TV, CD Pehy PY 00052 AAD CD 209.00
Awakening for percussion solo (1990); 00:16:00, HR, CD Pehy PY 00052 AAD CD 209.00
Axis Axis, Bubo Bubo and Marmota Marmota Dream for four percussionists (joint project with
Ctibor Bártek, Adam Kubíček and Martin Opršál) (1990); 00:07:00, CR, TV, CD Pehy PY
00052 AAD 209.00
Night Invention for percussion solo (1991); 00:14:00
Uncertainties for four percussionists (1992); 00:16:00, TV, CD Wolf Production, WORE 96
0003 – 2 („Generation“ Composition Competition Prize 1995)
Closer to the Stars for guitar, accordion and two percussionists (1993); 00:09:00, TV, CD
Wolf Production
Hyperrhythms for four percussionists (joint project with Ctibor Bártek, Adam Kubíček
and Martin Opršál) (1993); 00:12:00, TV, CD Wolf Production
Polar Night for percussion solo (1993); 00:09:00
Quartet for Keys and Bows for piano, harpsichord, synthesizer and vibraphone (1994);
00:13:00, CD Wolf Production
Meeting for zither, violin and exotic percussion (two players) (1994); 00:09:00, CR, TV,
CD Wolf Production
XI – 24 for four percussionists (1994); 00:09:00
Aëria for zither and percussion (one player) (1994); 00:08:00
Quartet for five flutes (1994); 00:08:00
Caprichos for violin and percussion (joint project with Peter Graham) (1995); 00:05:00, CD
Wolf Production
Levitation for marimba and viola (1995); 00:08:00
Materialisation for piano (1995); 00:08:00
Esoteric Microconcerto for electric violin, synthesizer (two players), vibraphone, marimba
and cello (1996); 00:09:00, CD Wolf Production
Conflict for two bassoons and cink (1996); 00:08:00
VOCAL WORKS
Manipulation for mixed choir (1994); 00:12:00
ORCHESTRAL WORKS
In medias res for orchestra (1997); 00:15:00, p JAMU
LARGE – SCALE PROJECTS
Wave Fronts – contacts between areas, spaces, micro-,
macro-, and mega–worlds and the human psyche, for seven players on specially-created
percussion instruments, large sound installations, synthesizers and tape, audiovisual
mutimedia project (1995); 01:10:00, CR, TV, CD Wolf Production
Worlds without Bounds I (joint audiovisual multimedia project with Ivo Medek) (1993);
01:05:00
Adam and Eve – Planetary Oratorio (joint audiovisual multimedia project with Ivo Medek,
Alois Piňos, Zbyněk Matějů, Jiří Kollert and Daniel Forró) (1994); 01:00:00
KEY TO ABBREVIATIONS:
CD – compact disc recording
CR – Czech Radio
HR – Hessische Rundfunk
JAMU – Janáček Academy of Performing Arts, Brno
TV – Czech TV (ČST, ČT, Cabel Plus, TV Nova)
p – performance material
DAMA PERCUSSION
was founded by Dan Dlouhý and an old associate from the
ensemble, Petr Dvořák, in 1993
a company manufacturing traditional and less traditional percussion instruments
the aim of the company, apart from manufacturing
ordinary percussion instruments, is above all to create experimental, large capacity
percussion instruments - objects with special sounds, with forms rivalling the plastic
arts. The instruments for Dan Dlouhý‘s composition - Vlnoplochy (Wave Fronts) -
represent the first larger works of this kind (Moravian Autumn International Music
Festival, Brno 1995 - Exposition of New Music)
The Dama Percussion Company‘s musical instrument
assortment: 
Cow Bells - five pieces + holder
Cow Bells - separate (1 - 5)
Agogo Bells
Temple Blocks - 5 piece set + holder
Tubular Drum
Log Drum (slot drum) + holder
Claves (plastic)
Guiro (plastic)
Small Guiro (plastic)
Chimes (40 sticks)
Bar Chimes (15 sticks on a ring holder)
Antique Cymbals
Metal Vibraslap
Ching Chok (rattle)
Plate Bells - chromatic scale C -cl
Tubular bells - chromatic scale c - c2
„Lastras“ (thin metal plates)
music stands and holders
special instruments (see Wave Fronts - composition by Dan Dlouhý)
  
|