Petr Vasek

Petr Vašek, originally from Brno, began playing the clarinet at the age of nine. He received his early musical training from Břetislav Winkler and quickly distinguished himself as a remarkable talent, winning two national competitions in both solo and chamber music at a young age. After studying at the Prague Conservatory under Milan Polák, he completed his bachelor’s degree at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (HAMU). He then pursued his master’s and soloist diplomas at the Conservatorio della Svizzera Italiana in Lugano, Switzerland, under the guidance of Milan Řeřicha. His studies culminated in a solo performance with the prestigious Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana. During his academic years, Petr became a laureate of numerous competitions, including first prize at the international competition in Carlino, Italy, first prize at the international clarinet competition in Hořice, and second prize at the Leoš Janáček International Music Competition in Brno. As a soloist, he has performed with several orchestras, including the Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana, the Hradec Králové Philharmonic, the South Bohemian Philharmonic, and the F. X. Šalda Theatre Orchestra in Liberec. Even during his studies, Petr focused intensively on orchestral playing, aspiring to perform at the highest professional level. A major milestone came in 2012 when he was accepted into the Verbier Festival Orchestra (VFO), considered the world’s leading youth orchestra for musicians under 30. He performed with the VFO for three consecutive years, collaborating with top conductors and soloists such as Valery Gergiev, Charles Dutoit, Manfred Honeck, and Klaus Mäkelä. In 2017, he became a member of the Verbier Chamber Festival Orchestra (VFCO), led by renowned conductor Gábor Takács-Nagy and composed of the finest musicians from the VFO. He performs with the VFCO annually at the Verbier Festival and has participated in a series of prestigious international tours, including the inaugural Tsinandali Festival in Georgia (2019), the VFCO Winter Tour across Europe (2021), a concert tour of China (April 2024), and a South Korea tour (April 2025), performing in some of the most respected concert halls in the world. Alongside his orchestral work, Petr is also a founding member of a wind ensemble formed by musicians of the South Bohemian Philharmonic. With this group, he performed at the 2024 Olympic Games and has since appeared regularly at the Czech Music Centre in Paris, contributing to the promotion of Czech music abroad and building strong artistic ties with the French audience. Between 2015 and 2017, Petr worked with the Malaysia Philharmonic Orchestra in Kuala Lumpur, gaining further valuable international experience. Since returning to the Czech Republic, he has served as the principal clarinetist of the South Bohemian Philharmonic and, since 2016, has also been teaching at the Conservatory in České Budějovice.

Petr plays the Royal Global Firebird Soprano, paired with a Firebird barrel and a Vandoren BD5 HD mouthpiece. He is also an artist for Sax Clinic - SCV Ligatures. When asked why he plays Royal, he shared: “It has a great intonation and very easy to play on.” Regarding his switch to the brand, he noted: “I liked the response and the sound of the Firebird clarinet.” Reflecting on the value Royal has brought to his artistry, he stated: “Having a different sound than the ‘usual’ and learning new ways of playing.”