I have known Professor Ivica Gabrišová for more than ten years from the Bystřice Summer Flute courses, which we attend every August with our students. I consider her an excellent teacher and a wonderful flutist, as well as a very kind and friendly person.
This year my big dream came true: thanks to the ERASMUS+ program, we were able to welcome her to our music school as a visiting teacher for four full days. We are very grateful to our principal, Iva Vrátilová, and to our colleague Filip Janouch for making this possible!
The professor arrived from Bratislava on Monday, February 2, 2026, and after settling in, she immediately joined the teaching in our classroom. All the children eagerly took part in the lessons. I must praise them for their effort, good behavior, and openness to listening and absorbing new experiences and knowledge.
On Tuesday morning, the professor rehearsed with the pianist, V. Jurčík, and we worked with the students until 7:30 p.m. In the evening, she also listened to a flute and accordion trio and met my dear colleague Jakub Jedlinský.
On Wednesday morning, we took a short break and, together with our principal, visited the beautiful snow-covered town of Litomyšl. We then continued working with the children throughout the afternoon and late into the evening. Students of my fellow flute teachers, Denisa Bláhová and Michal Tobiáš, also had the opportunity to meet and work with the professor.
Thursday marked the culmination of our wonderful collaboration. In the morning we rehearsed with piano accompaniment, and our former successful student Anička Salášková traveled from České Budějovice to perform with us. It was also a great joy that fellow flute teachers from Prague and Rychnov nad Kněžnou, with whom we cooperate, came to visit.
At 6 p.m., the lights in our large concert hall shone brightly, and the hall was completely full. In the first half of the flute concert, Anička and Professor Ivica performed a Beethoven duet. Solo performances then followed by Terezka Doskočilová, Jolanka Vostřelová, Natálka Vojáčková, Nikol Shánělová, and Anička Salášková, accompanied on piano by Iva Vrátilová and V. Jurčík. All the flutists played with great engagement and expressive musical feeling, and the audience rewarded them with enthusiastic applause.
The second half of the concert belonged entirely to the professor, who demonstrated the full range of colors and the beauty of the transverse flute’s sound. Works by B. Godard and J. Mouquet were performed with piano accompaniment by V. Jurčík.
The final standing ovation, words of thanks, and the warm, friendly atmosphere in the hall were the most beautiful reward and the perfect conclusion to these wonderful days.
Our dream was more than fulfilled, and we sincerely thank the leadership of our school for enabling such an extraordinary experience with Associate Professor Ivica Gabrišová-Encingerová, ArtD., who teaches at the Church Conservatory in Bratislava and at the Academy of Arts in Banská Bystrica. She lectures, leads workshops, serves on competition juries, and above all has retained her humanity, warmth, willingness to help, and wonderful sense of humor.
Thank you!
Lada Štěpánková Polcarová
