Pavel Sporcl Becomes Artist-Ambassador For Thomastik-Infeld Strings

In the month that Pavel Sporcl returned to the top of his country's charts with his crossover rock video "Feeling Good" (118,000 views on YouTube and counting), the leading Czech violinist has also returned to classical basics by forging a new relationship with the distinguished, Vienna-based strings company Thomastik-Infeld. The firm named Sporcl a brand ambassador, and for his part, Sporcl declared that his famous Jan-Spidlen-built blue violin "has never sounded as good as it does now."

Sporcl debuted his new 'Dynamo' strings — specially selected for his instrument — in Israel recently, when he substituted at short notice for Viktoria Mullova, playing the Beethoven Violin Concerto with the Israel Camerata Jerusalem. "It was the best possible run-out for the new strings," says Sporcl, "since the Beethoven concerto is one of the sternest tests of any violin, as well as of any violinist! And even in those first performances with the new strings, there was a bloom and beauty to the sound that made my beloved violin sound better even that it had before. And in the weeks since those concerts, the strings have been well and truly played in, and I have learnt more and more about how to work with them, and every time I think I've discovered their potential, there's a bit more to come!

 

"I have long been an admirer of the beautiful strings that Thomastik-Infeld have made for more than one hundred years (although I haven't been a fan for quite that long!), so to be asked to be an artist-ambassador for them is not only a pleasure, it makes me very proud. Also I see that I am the only Czech violinist in their artist family, and the ancestors of Thomastik are also Czech, so I'm especially happy to fly the flag for my country!"

 

Sporcl was also in the news recently when his violin was almost destroyed in a much-reported on-stage mishap (where a conductor whacked the precious instrument out of Sporcl's hands mid-performance). The moment, caught on film, went viral.

Sporcl's ongoing projects include renewed premieres for the all-but-forgotten First Violin Concerto of Czech violin legend Jan Kubelik, which he recently brought to Germany with performances in Baden-Baden, and of which he made the world premiere recording for Hanssler Classic. This month, he reunites with his internationally-acclaimed Gipsy Way Ensemble.

 

LISTEN to the livestream audio of Pavel Sporcl playing the Beethoven Violin Concerto with the Israel Camerata Jerusalem, at the Jerusalem Theatre, here.