František Chaloupka is a composer born in Czechoslovakia in 1981. He composes mainly instrumental music and scores for classical instruments, chamber and symphony orchestras, operas or multimedia works. He is also sought out as an orchestrator, arranger and guitar player.
After finishing his studies of composition at the Janáček conservatory in Ostrava he went on to study a degree in Composition in the class of Martin Smolka at Janáček Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Brno in 2004 where he has finished his PhD. in composition in 2014. In 2006 he was also studying at Royal Conservatory in The Hague (The Netherlands) with Louis Andriessen, Clarence Barlow, Martijn Padding and Richard Ayres. From 2012 he studied at Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien and California Institute of the Arts in 2013.
He participated in international courses for composers and percussionists in Trstěnice 2004 and 2005 and was given scholarship for both international festival Ostrava Days of New Music 2005 and 2007. In 2007 and 2009 the festival premiered his orchestral pieces An Ancient Calligraphy (2007) and Smooth The Heavens (2009).
In May 2011 he was invited to Frankfurt for a workshop with the world famous Ensemble Modern (Frank Zappa, Heiner Goebbles, etc.) and conductor-composer Peter Eötvös. Within the project „Myths-Nation-Identities“ he composed a piece called Mašín Gun (Seven Rituals for purging the Czech Lands from the Spirit of Communism) premiered by Ensemble Modern and Peter Eötvös at Musica Viva festival in Munich in 2012. The concert was recorded and broadcasted live at Munich Broadcasting (Bayerischer Rundfunk).
In April 2011 he founded Dunami Ensemble and performed his opera-installation Eve and Lilith at NODO festival New Opera Days of Ostrava 2012. Ensemble consist of recognized Czech jazz, classical and experimental music players composers and improvisators. In 2016 Dunami Ensemble performed another opera-installation composed by Chaloupka called Chata v Jezerní kotlině at festival Music Olomouc. The piece is scored for saxophone quartett and two boy sopranos.
In 2016 a 2-CD under the label of K.I. Records album „František Chaloupka: Selected Works 2006–2015“ was released. It includes chamber and orchestra pieces performed by internationally recognized artists and ensembles.
In 2014 he founded Kytarový Institut (Guitar Institute), a creative environment and private school for guitar-type instruments, composition and improvisation in Czech Republic.
As a guitarist he is sought out also as a studio recording player and was performing live with rock bands as well as classical symphony orchestras. Under the pseudonym Iszek Baraque he produces conceptual rock albums and songs. In 2006 he founded a band Koistinen, their debut album Fisher was co-produced by Czech rock star David Koller. Chaloupka arranged Kollers songs for symphony orchestra for him. In 2018 he released eponymous solo album „Iszek Baraque“. He worked also with Michal Pavlíček, Vladivojna La Chia, multimedia artist Panáčik, organist Kateřina KATTA Chroboková, actresses Erika Stárková, Veronika Žilková and other various artists.
His pieces were commissioned and performed by internationally renowed musicians and ensembles e.g . New Century Players Los Angeles, Ensemble Modern & Péter Eötwös, Janáček philharmony, Prague Modern, IEMA International Ensemble Modern Academy, BERG Orchestra, Trio Accanto, Aleph gitarrenquartett, South Bohemian philharmony, Hradec Králové philharmony, VENI Academy, conductors Peter Öorwös, Lucas Vis, Anu Tali, Aleš Kománek, Pavel Šnajdr, Peter Vrábl, performer Kateřina KATTA Chroboková and others.
Education
Janáček conservatory in Ostrava (2000–2004; graduate in composition; awarded recognition by the headmaster for the final composition)
Janáček Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Brno (2004–2009; composition under the leadership of prof. Martin Smolka; MgA.degree, diploma thesis “Phenomenon of Electric Guitar in Artificial Music of the Twentieth Century“; composition “Naklonit si Nebesa“ [“Smooth the Heaven“] for large orchestra)
Janáček Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Brno (PhD. degree in 2014; doctoral diploma: Theory and practise of contemporary music ensembles influenced by authoral personas)
2007 and 2012 – Scholarship from Nadace Český hudební fond
Residency
Royal Conservatory in the Hague (2006; composition with Louis Andriessen, Martijn Padding, Richard Ayeres, Clarence Barlow, Diderik Wagenar a nd Gilius van Bergeijk)
Academy of Arts Bánská Bystrica (Erasmus 2011, October 2011-February 2012; Theory of composition and Orchestration teacher)
Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien (March 2012-June 2012; composition with prof. Detlev Müller-Siemens)
California Institute of the Arts, Los Angeles, 2013; composition with David Rosenboom, Ulrich Krieger, Wolfgang Von Schweinitz)