Povaleč was created in 2006 by a joint initiative of a bunch of friends. Until today, the organization team consists of friends, most of whom know each other for years.
Our aim is to entertain people, to revive the lovely town of Valeč, to create an event with a unique atmosphere, where everyone can find something that he enjoys and doesn’t have to pay overpriced entrance fee just to see a couple of well-worn bands. Povaleč is not about mainstream popular culture or money, it is about bringing people together and creating something different.
"Holidays in Telc" is a summer 14-day music festival and presentation of music groups supplemented with theater and movie performances. Strong evidence of growing popularity is the fact that the festival enters its 28th year of existence and is attended by approximately 20.000 visitors every year. The festival is organized by the 'Prazdniny v Telci' private agency together with the city Telc and the Telc Castle.
Most of activities take place in the attractive environment of the City Square and the courtyard of the chateau. Associated activities and performances have a scene laid at the Chateau Park or places near by. There are also art exhibitions that regularly take place on the old Jewish cemetery.
During the two days of the festival, the city becomes a music center and as such introduces its visitors to jazz as originally non-European genre, which, however, has conquered all major musical stages in the world since its inception. In Slaný, top Czech and foreign musicians introduce themselves to the audience. The festival is intended not only for fans of jazz art, but also for the general public. The festival begins with the opening of the gates of the Grand City Center and the chapel of the Museum of National History in Slaný. Then begins a show of concerts with quality jazz, blues, soul, funky and other similarly tuned music, which can inspire both professionals and the lay music public every year.
The Strings of Autumn were established in 1996 during the tenure of Czech President Václav Havel by the curators of music events at Prague Castle, Marek Vrabec and Martin Pechanec. In the first eight years of the festival’s existence in the castle itself, the Strings of Autumn were distinguished by original programming and exceptional concerts, such as Cecil Taylor’s recital, the Czech premiere of Michael Nyman, or Jan Garbarek’s concert with the Hilliard Ensemble.
The list of artists and projects, which the festival has introduced to the Czech Republic for the first time ever throughout its 21-year span, stands as a rare accomplishment: Brad Mehldau, Bobby McFerrin, Cecil Taylor, Gregory Porter, Cassandra Wilson, Gil Shaham, Daniel Hope, Ghostpoet, Young Fathers, Chris Thile, Jason Moran, and many others. The Strings of Autumn have also initiated new projects and productions, such as the opera Don Juan in Prague in co-production with the Brooklyn Academy of Music, the theatrical rendition of Schubert’s Winter Journey at the Barrandov studios, or the live performance of Zdeněk Liška’s music to the film Markéta Lazarová. The festival systematically introduces the leading composers of today to Prague – including the likes of Michael Nyman, Gavin Bryars, Steve Reich, David Lang, Julia Wolfe, or this year’s legendary Terry Riley. The Strings of Autumn initiate artistic encounters that can prove to be life-changing. One example among many is Gregory Porter’s acquaintance with the Czech Hammond keyboardist Ondřej Pivec, which launched their Grammy Award-winning collaboration.
Each year the festival treads the pioneering path to broader musical horizons. Every concert is a major event of its type and genre. The Strings of Autumn offer music that you will not hear anywhere else.
