Biography

Critics have described Hana Kotková as being the worthy continuator of the great Czech violin tradition. Hana drew attention to herself already as a child, distinguishing herself three times (the first at age 10) at the “Jaroslav Kocian International Competition” and, when still only eighteen years of age, winning the first prize at the “Beethoven International Competition” in Hradec.
In 1997 she was successful at the prestigious “Prague Spring International Competition”, being awarded the second prize (the first was not attributed).
Hana Kotková was also awarded the “Prague City Prize”, the “Prague Spring Foundation Prize”, the “Gideon Klein Prize”, the “Baerenreiter Prize” and the “Supraphon Prize”.

After having begun violin lessons with her father at the age of five, Hana Kotková frequented the music school in her hometown, Opava. She then entered the class of Vitezslav Kuznik at the Ostrava Conservatory where she received her diploma.
She was then admitted to the Academy of Arts in Prague where she continued her studies with Josef Vlach, Jiri Novak (from the Smetana Quartet) and Ivan Straus.
Meanwhile, she also attended the master class of Wolfgang Marschner in Wiemar, and that of Pierre Amoyal in Lausanne. She was still very young when she was invited to the Greensboro Festival (USA) and during her sojourn in America she studied with Josef Gingold.
Her studies were then perfected with Alberto Lysy at the International Menuhin Music Academy in Gstaad.
Following her public exordiums in the Czech Republic at the age of 10 years, Hana Kotková has since given concerts in recitals and as a soloist with orchestras in different European countries (Spain, Italy, France, England, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland and Slovakia). She played in Europe and in the United States next to Yehudi Menuhin and Alberto Lysy with the Camerata Lysy.
In her native country, the Czech Republic, besides having given several recitals, she regularly co-operates as a soloist with different important orchestras and has been invited to play with some of the best directors at the main festivals (the Prague Spring Festival, the Ostrava Janacek May Festival, the Dvorak Festival at Karlovy Vary, etc.).
As a soloist she has also played together with Josef Suk, Ivan Zenaty, Gabriela Demeterova and Rocco Filippini.

In her recitals she is usually accompanied by the pianists Eliska Novotná and Simon Mulligan.

She has made numerous recordings for radio and television in Switzerland, France and the Czech Republic.
In the summer of 2000 she has recorded the whole set of violin-solo Sonatas by Eugène Ysaye for Swiss television.
Hana Kotková records for Studio Matous (Prague) and Forlane (Paris).