Lukáš Sommer, a storyteller with a guitar

Earlier this month, Czech guitarist/composer Lukáš Sommer had a weeklong tour that had him perform and also conduct masterclasses in and out of Metro Manila. 

As much as I want to be there in all of his stops, I could only catch the penultimate performance of his tour held at the Palm Grove, Rockwell Center in Makati.

Coincidentally, Lukáš' performance was also in line with the celebration of the Czech Republic Liberation Day. Before he got on to the stage, Czech Ambassador Jana Šedivá gave opening remarks and welcomed the guests that were mostly from the diplomatic corps. I was surprised to recognize only three from the usual music circle that night though. It made me wonder if the guitarists, other musicians, and enthusiasts were at his earlier performances instead.

The lack of music people got me initially worried since I know that Lukáš would perform his own compositions (mostly taken from his album Savana!). While music people may be receptive to unfamiliar, contemporary music , for others this music may not be their cup of tea.

But Lukáš cast away my worries earlier on with his opener which was Variation on Over the Rainbow. With just that piece, he has captivated his audience already. His brief introductions before playing the succeeding works prepared the audience to what they would hear. And Lukáš' skill, charm, showmanship, and of course, the quality of his music easily enthralled the listeners. 

Lukáš was such a story teller with the guitar thay by the end of each piece, it felt like I already knew a bit about his friends, children, ex-wife, and the places that he has been to as these were the subjects of the works that he played.

Seeing Lukáš perform live, with the guitar taps, finger snaps, tongue clicks, and even a slap to the face, and how he plays to and interacts with the audience, gave a whole new layer to the music that I didn't get to experience by just listening to his recordings.

Now that the Philippine audience already had a taste of Lukáš' guitar music, I fervently wish that someday, his orchestral works, especially one of the concertos recorded in his Three Concerts album, will be performed here by one of the orchestras in here.

Europeans, Pinoys join forces once again in EuroPinoy Concert

European and Filipino musicians join forces once again as the EuroPinoy Concert returns this year on May 7, 2019, 7:00 PM at The Ruins in Poblacion, Makati.

This year's featured artists include guitarist/composer Lukáš Sommer from the Czech Republic, DJ BadKiss from Germany, percussionist Jean Paul Zialcita from the Philippines, flamenco guitarist Alex Alcaraz from Spain, and artists from the Sikuna Collaborative Arts Festival 2019.

EuroPinoy Concert 2019 is presented by the European Union in the Philippines, in partnership with Czech Embassy Manila, German Embassy Manila, & the Instituto Cervantes de Manila, in collaboration with SIKUNA 2019 and Para Sa Sining.  This event is supported by The Ruins and Z Hostel.

Czech guitarist/composer Lukáš Sommer goes on Philippine tour

The European Union's music project Euro-Pinoy Concert, a collaborative performance between Filipinos and musicians from the EU, may still a few weeks away, but let's get to know right now one of the artists slated to perform in that event, the Czech guitarist and composer Lukáš Sommer who will be on tour here this May 6-10, 2019.

The tour starts with a performance at the National Museum of Natural History on May 6, 2019, 6:30 PM.

On May 7, 2019, 7:00 PM, he joins Spanish guitarist Alex Alcaraz, Filipino percussionist Jean Paul Zialcita and German-Filipina DJ Marie Badkiss in the Euro-Pinoy Concert at The Ruins, in Poblacion, Makati

On May 8, 2019, 7:00 PM, he will have another performance at the Rockwell Center in Makati.

Lukáš is also scheduled to conduct masterclasses at the University of the Philippines in Diliman and at the International School Manila.

The tour poster indicates a performance at the Room Gallery in Puerto Galera on May 10, 2019. This might be a recent development that came after the Viva Europa 2019 launch. Do watch out in this space for whatever updates there may be as the tour fast approaches.

Guitarist/composer Lukáš Sommer

Regarded as a prominent figure of the young composer generation, Lukáš has studied at the Conservatory in České Budějovice and at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague. Since then, he has devoted himself fully to composition and concert activities. His works have been produced by prestigious institutions or prominent musical personalities

Lukáš Sommer's Philippine tour is presented by the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Manila.

RAd's Playlist | Lukáš Sommer Savanna! and Three Concerts

Here are a couple of releases by Lukáš Sommer, both featuring his compositions. Savana! features very personal compositions he has written for the guitar. I expect that tracks from this album will make up his solo performances.

A trio of concertos, one for the harp, another for the oboe, and the last for the flute are the tracks found in his latest release, Three Concerts, featuring his works for a solo instrument and orchestra. This gives a hint of what is possible on the horizon after Lukáš' finishes his tour in here. I, for one, would love to hear this works performed locally.