Irena Chřibková

Irena Chřibková is the head organist of St. James´ Basilica in the Old Town of Prague. There she founded several cycles of sacred music (Easter and Christmas Concerts, St. James´Autumn), including the St. James´ International Organ Festival which ranks among the leading European festivals. It is also thanks to the organ originating from 1705 from the workshop of Abraham Stark of Loket. Having undergone several reconstructions, it is the largest instrument in the Czech Republic with its 8,277 pipes. Completed by the basilica acoustics, the audience is delivered exceptional music experience. The basilica also disposes of a mid-18th-century Baroque choir organ which is suited for authentic-style interpretation of Italian, Czech and German old masters.
Irena Chřibková studied the organ at the Kroměříž Conservatoire under K. Pokora, at the Academy of Arts in Prague under Prof. M. Šlechta and in Paris under S. Landale. Successes at numerous interpretation competitions started her concert career. She has toured extensively as a concert artist, appearing in Europe, Japan, Russia, Israel and the USA. She has cooperated with leading instrumentalists and singers at chamber, choir and orchestral concerts. Her rich repertoire includes organ literature ranging from Baroque up to contemporary music. She is a much requested interpreter of French organ music in the whole scale, as well as of Czech organ music, completed by compositions of J. S. Bach. Music critiques have always highlighted the unique conception of her concerts (“ … as I discovered, Ms. Chřibková likes to experiment with her programme conception. That is a positive step forward, compared to an established recital conception, either unified in music style or following a traditional ´excursion´ into centuries of music development.”), obvious virtuosity, inventive and colourful registration, by the words of an art reviewer: “ … her imaginative, colourful and creative play with stops greatly resounded … the performance was truly remarkable experience” (F. Lukáš, 2009).
She has devoted special interest to music of Petr Eben. Her repertoire includes nearly all his organ compositions. She has to her credit the Czech premieres of his “Four Biblical Dances for Organ and Two Dancers” (1996), and “Labyrinth of the World and Paradise of the Heart” for organ and speaker (2004); plus a contribution to the book “A Tribute to P. Eben” which was published by Dvořák´s Society in England at the occasion of Eben´s 70th birthday.
Jiří Teml has composed several pieces directly for Ms. Chřibková (Mysterium sacrum, Toccata Yamaha), the latest being the 3rd Organ Concerto which she performed with the FOK Orchestra in a world premiere in December 2012 with great success.
Ms Chřibková has presented mainly Czech and French organ music at her CD recordings: e.g. Music of Paris Churches and Cathedrals (Vierne, Widor, Bonnet, Boëllmann, Messiaen, Alain), Prague St. James´ Basilica – Its Organs and Composing Organists (Černohorský, Zach, Seger, Ropek, Wiedermann, Eben) and a CD with compositions by B. A. Wiedermann, a CD-live – The Organ of St. James´ in Prague (Franck, Eben: Landscapes of Patmos) and Sunday at St. James´ (J. S. Bach, K. Kř. Vaňhal, G. MacMaster, Ch. Tournemire, A. Guilmant etc.), P. Eben: Faust for organ and recitation, The Labyrinth of the World and the Paradise of the Heart for organ and speaker.
She has also produced a number of recordings for Czech, Belgian, French and Polish radio and Czech television. After a teaching period at P. J. Vejvanovský Conservatoire (1988-94) and the Conservatoire of Evangelic Academy (1990-1994) in Kroměříž, she currently teaches in Prague. She has juried a number of organ competitions and has led master classes.