Hartwick college

Born in Prague, the Czech Republic, Jirka Kratochvil began his music education at the Conservatory of Music in Pardubice. After receiving his Bachelor of music degree, he did graduate work at the Charles University in Prague and in Weimar, Germany. He received his Master of Music degree in 1994 and Doctor of Arts degree in 1997, both at the University of Northern Colorado, where he studied under Dr. Howard Skinner.

Dr. Kratochvíl has conducted choruses to international acclaim in over thirty-five countries across Europe, Asia, North and Latin America, the Middle East and Africa. Both as a conductor and vocalist he gave concerts with such artists as Placido Domingo (the BBC production “Carols from Prague” was seen worldwide by more 200 million people worldwide), José Carreras, Kurt Mazur, Erich Leinsdorf, Giuseppe Sinopoli and Claudio Abbado, and also with Moses Hogan and Paul Winter among others.

In 1995, he became Music director and conductor for the World Vision Youth Ambassador Choir consisting of fifty uniquely talented students from fifty different countries of the world. With this ensemble, Dr. Kratochvíl was featured twice on CNN in his performances from the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, and in a special concert for the United Nations in New York City. Also with the Youth Ambassadors, he gave private performances for dignitaries including presidents of Guatemala, the Philippines and Taiwan. In 1998 he conducted a series of concerts for the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights.

In 1996, and with this ensemble, he received a personal honor from the Chief of Police in Washington, D.C. "in grateful appreciation and recognition of outstanding performance of civic responsibility and contribution to the community." In 1997, he was honored by receiving “Congressional Recognition for outstanding and invaluable service to the community" from Howard Berman, a member of the United States Congress. In 1998, he received an honor from the mayor of Los Angeles recognizing the work and mission of the Youth Ambassadors. In Summer 2000, he conducted the Youth Ambassadors at the World EXPO in Germany and for Billy Graham’s conference Amsterdam 2000.

He currently serves as the Director of Choral Music at Hartwick College, NY, where he has also taught Music Theory, Diction, Choral Conducting, and where he directs three choral ensembles. His work was recently recognized on a state level when the Hartwick College Choir was selected to perform as the only college choir at the annual New York State School of Music Association conference. At Hartwick College his other responsibilities include organization of annual choral festivals, recruiting, touring and advising. With the Hartwick College Choir he gave world and American premieres of works by important American Composers such as Tom Johnson, Karel Husa, Stacey Wong, Petr Eben, Blas Atehortúa and Moses Hogan.

Dr. Kratochvíl also serves as the Music Director and Conductor for the Catskill Choral Society in Oneonta, NY. With this chorus he gave two praised American premieres: Bonhoeffer Oratorium by the American composer Tom Johnson and re-discovered early 19th century Requiem by the French-Bohemian master Antonín Rejcha.

In addition to his demanding schedule as a conductor, Dr. Kratochvíl wrote several hundred articles that were published in international magazines and newspapers. The topics included concert reviews, interviews, choral music as well as international affairs. He is a founder of the Catskill Choral Society Symphony, The Catskill Vocal Competition, and co-founder of the Catskill Choral Society Girl Choir and the Quinterna ensemble in Prague.