Chřibková Irena

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, Autumn Organ Mondays), including the St. James´ International Organ Festival which ranks among the leading European festivals. She studied the organ at the Kroměříž Conservatoire under K. Pokora, at the Academy of Arts in Prague under Prof. M. Šlechta (1980-1986) and in Paris under S. Landale (1985). 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, obvious virtuosity, inventive and colourful registration.

Ms Chřibková has presented mainly Czech and French organ music at her CD recordings.

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.