Robert Mimra

CV

Robert Mimra was born in 1972 in the Czech Republic and currently lives in Prague. He studied organ and composition at the Prague Conservatory and completed his harpsichord studies at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague. He further developed his skills through attending masterclasses.  Mimra explores various aspects of music not only as a composer and a performer but also as a teacher, article author, lecturer, and manager. He was a deputy director at three arts schools, founded the association Mariona, and has been directing Portedo o.p.s. since 2013.

Robert Mimra at the Prepared Piano

His diverse career has allowed him to experiment with various approaches to music composition. Since 2017, he has been inspired by his leadership of the Composition Section of the Artistic Council of Primary Art Schools in the Czech Republic. In the list below, in addition to occasional and experimental compositions, you will find instructional works for younger students — including a children’s opera performed in 2006 (a "historical" promotional video is available here). Another one of his opera projects is The Heart of a Dog (a wandering opera), which was postponed during the COVID-19 pandemic and is currently seeking a strategic partner.

In recent years, Mimra's quest for new sounds has led him to modify the piano. In the Prepared Piano project, he combines the harpsichord with a fully prepared piano and percussion, played with mallets, a bow, and pedal controllers. This fusion of unconventional sounds has led to collaborations with artists from other fields, particularly visual artists and dancers (e.g., the experimental video The Swimmer from 2022). One of his unrealized concepts involves combining sounds recorded in urban environments with larger metal objects or even architectural structures.

Presentation at the Conference on Arts Education

Composition Workshop

The selection of compositions includes videos of three works from the Prepared Piano project, which combines this instrument with harpsichord, percussion, violin, voice, musical saw, and bowed glasses. The next section includes excerpts from the 2nd and 3rd movements of an experimental piece for clarinet, piano, and percussion (2021). This is complemented by Nymphes Lied (2016), a piece for soprano and piano on a text by Rainer Maria Rilke. The third section presents The Heart of a Dog, a wandering opera, with three excerpts — the aria Look at Me from the 1st scene, the octet We Are the Patients (2nd scene), and a quintet from the 3rd scene. Early works from the late 20th century are represented by the 4th movement of the Suite for clarinet and piano, Hallelujah for voice, Baroque flute, and organ, and the 3rd movement of Concerto for Piano, Harpsichord, Organ, and Orchestra.

Contact details are here

To order new compositions, please use this form.

The first three compositions are from the Prepared Piano project. In Three Preludes, I explored the possibilities of solo prepared piano, harpsichord, percussion, and the limits of a single performer. Seven Images is written for three players who perform on violin, harpsichord, prepared piano, rhythmic and melodic percussion, glasses, and musical saw. From Five Songs for soprano, prepared piano, harpsichord, keyboard, and percussion, I am offering you three movements. Information about the performers can be found here.

The experimental composition 3 per 2 for clarinet and piano was created in 2021. The clarinet part uses the instrument's full range, and at the end of the piece, the performer gradually disassembles the instrument, ending with a flutter-tongue on a single note. The piano is only slightly prepared, and the pianist simultaneously plays a set of percussion instruments. The third piece is for voice and piano, set to a text by Rainer Maria Rilke, recorded at a concert in the Kaiserstein Palace in Prague in 2016.

The Heart of a Dog (wandering opera) is a standalone, as-yet-unrealized project. In 2019, the octet "We Are the Patients" was publicly presented in a concert at Martinů Hall at the Academy of Performing Arts (HAMU) in Prague. The aria "Look at Me" from the first scene and the quintet from the third scene were recorded in 2021 at the Taussigova Elementary Art School (Prague 8). Information on the performers is provided with each video.

The third movement from the Concerto for Piano, Harpsichord, Organ, and Orchestra was recorded at a concert in June 1996 at the Church of St. Simon and St. Jude in Prague. Hallelujah for voice, Baroque flute, and organ was recorded at the Hus Congregation in Prague-Vršovice in 1998. The fourth movement (Toccata) from the suite for clarinet and piano was recorded during a concert at the Prague Conservatory in 1996.

Seznam skladeb

3 per 2, 2006/2021

clarinet and prepared piano

3 Preludes, 2023

prepared piano, harpsichord, and percussion

4 per 3 - Concerto Grosso, 2001

trombone, tam-tam, piano, and strings

5 Songs, 2024

voice, prepared piano, harpsichord, keyboard, and percussion

7 Images, 2022

violin, prepared piano, harpsichord, and percussion

Budulínek ‒ children’s opera, 2005

soloists, mixed choir, children's choir, and chamber ensemble

Concertino, 2009

clarinet, piano, and string orchestra

Small Early Spring Impression, 2004

piano

Fantasia, 1997

violin and orchestra

Fugues, Toccatas, and Preludes

piano

Hallelujah, 1998

voice (soprano), Baroque flute, and organ

Hommage à Carlos Seixas, 2000

harpsichord

Concerto for Piano, Harpsichord, Organ, and Orchestra, 1996

piano, harpsichord, organ, orchestra

La primera tarde, 2001

strings

Laudate Dominum, 2004

mixed choir

Mass in F Major, 1998

soloists, choir, orchestra, and organ

On the Road, 2003

tenor, clarinet, and piano

Nymphes Lied, 2016

soprano and piano

Song of Songs, 1994

mezzo-soprano and organ

Prague Evenings, 1996

piano

The Heart of a Dog (opera), 2021

soloists and orchestra

The Nightingale and the Rose, 1997/2000

violin and piano

Suite, 1996

clarinet and piano

Toccata, 2013

piano

Toccata in D, 1998

organ

Lullaby, 1998

voice and piano

Educational Compositions

Four-Hand Composition, 2006

four-hand piano

Etude for Four Hands, 2006

four-hand piano

Intervals, 2000

piano or harpsichord

I Am a Pirate, 2007

voice, choir, and piano

Prelude, Adagio, and Fugue in G Major, 1996

two accordions

For 4 or 5, 1997

four-hand piano, melodic voice, and percussion (1 or 2 players)

Siciliana s tajemsSiciliana with a Secret, 2008

violin/flute, soprano recorder, and pianotvím, 2008

SOS Fugue, 2006

two accordions

SOS Fughetta, 2005

two accordions

Trio, 2006

four-hand piano, percussion, and trumpet

Study Compositions from 1990 to 1996

Aleatoric Study

flute, oboe, and strings

Bagatelle

piano

Children’s Fantasia

piano

Fantasia 1

violin, flute, string orchestra, and percussion

Fantasia 2

piano and orchestra

Fantasia 3

piano, flute, oboe, and bassoon

Chorale Fantasia

organ

Cantata Return to the Lord

soloists, choir, and orchestra

Concert Etude

piano

Metamorphosis

soprano, choir, flute, oboe, strings, and piano

Nocturne

piano

Ostinato

piano

Prelude

harpsichord and string orchestra

Five Miniatures

piano

String Quartet No. 1

string quartet

Sonata

oboe and piano

Suite (5 movements)

harpsichord

Suite – Allemande, Courante, Sarabande, Gavotte, and Gigue

piano

Spanish Variations

piano

Theme with Variations

violin and piano

Trio

violin and two pianos

Psalm 51

baritone solo and mixed choir

About the website

The website Kreativnibudoucnost.cz (CreativeFuture.cz) was created as a presentation of the eponymous conference, which took place in 2018. The website has been very successful. We have therefore added further data on the project Promotion of Art Education for Equal Opportunities (the conference was an inherent part of this project). This was followed by a page on teacher education. The latest items on the website are the newly created sections for the wandering opera project The Heart of a Dog and, most recently, the Prepared Piano project.
The website Kreativnibudoucnost.cz (CreativeFuture.cz) was created as a presentation of the eponymous conference, which took place in 2018. The website has been very successful. We have therefore added further data on the project Promotion of Art Education for Equal Opportunities (the conference was an inherent part of this project). This was followed by a page on teacher education. During the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, the ´Artists´ and the ´Art School´ pages were created to support the artists. The last item of the website is the newly created promotion of the wandering opera Heart of a Dog.
CZEN

Contact

Links

Kreativní budoucnost 2022