Jiří Skopal – Choral Conductor and Music Educator, born on August 15th, 1947 in Velké Losiny, Czech Republic.

Dr. Skopal was given his first education in music by his father Jan Skopal, a choral conductor of the North Moravia´s Teachers´Association. For his Masters in education, he studied in Olomouc from 1965 to 1969 and received his doctorate in 1973. In1982, he was named Associate Professor at the Charles University in Prague, and in1994 he became a full Professor. Even Dr. Skopal’s very first choir, which was founded at the primary and secondary school in Postřelmov, won first prize in a regional singing competition in 1972. In the years 1968-82, he was working as a vocal adviser for the North Moravia´s Teachers´Association, and in 1971 he started another choir in Mohelnice. Since 1974, he has been teaching at the University of Hradec Králové, where during the years 1986-90 he was the chair of the music department, where he founded a new choral conducting course during his tenure. He is an author of publications on the subjects of music psychology, history and management of boy choirs, and theory and methodology in choral singing. In 1977, he took over the management of the choir from Josef Vrátil and a year later, the choir changed its name to the Královéhradecký Children’s Choir JITRO, with which he has achieved major national and international success at concerts in Europe, Asia and the USA, as well as at prestigious global competitions in places such as Llangollen, Neerpelt, Lecco, Varna, Nantes, Olomouc, Žilina and others. These days, he still works as the choir conductor and music director of JITRO. He and his wife Květa Skopalová also founded a boy choir Boni Pueri in years 1982-96. In total, Jiří Skopal has recorded 43 albums with his choirs, conducted more than 3500 concerts and in the year 2000, he received the Primus Inter Pares award for an exceptional benefit to the culture from the Mayor of Hradec Králové. Jiří Skopal has also been a judge in national and international competitions, as well as a lecturer of conducting courses in the Czech Republic and abroad.

JITRO Czech Girls Choir

JITRO, meaning “Daybreak” in Czech, is more than just a concert choir from Hradec Kralove, a town in the Czech Republic. It is an organization of 400 children in seven preparatory ensembles, of which only the best 25 or 30 qualify to tour. For 45 years they have been admired all over the world for their tonal brilliance, superb intonation, distinctive rich blend of sound and energetic vitality. Today, Jitro is considered as one of the best children’s choirs anywhere in the world. Many awards have been bestowed on the choir by international juries, including prestigious European contests such as Llangollen (1988), Nantes (1989), Neerpelt (1996), Olomouc (2003), Xiamen (2006), Lecco (2010), Pardubice (2015), and Žilina (2017).

America’s love of Jitro was re-born when the choir was invited to sing at the National Convention of the American Choral Conductors Association in San Antonio, Texas in 1993. Standing ovations were given by thousands of professional American conductors in the auditorium. An official response from Dr. J. B. Haberlen, ACDA President, “Our ACDA members will long remember your concerts, as they were a major highlight of the 1993 convention.” The excitement in this select audience of choral conductors and their sustained applause attest to this fact. Professor Doreen Rao of Toronto University commented, “Are you aware that you have just changed forever the character and style of all American choral singing?”

Jitro Choir makes over 100 appearances annually and has sung with other renowned choruses, including the American Boys’ Choir. Jitro has performed with the Bavarian Symphonic Orchestra, the Milano Symphonic Orchestra, the Prague Symphony Orchestra and Czech Philharmonic. They have performed in prestigious concert halls in Prague, Barcelona, Hale, Bern, Basle, Dortmund, Avignon, Toulouse, Strasbourg, Austin, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington, Baltimore, Atlanta, Nashville, Indianapolis, Madison, Chicago, Penn State University, New York City, Huston, San Antonio, Dallas, Corpus Christi, Oklahoma City, Kansas City, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Xiamen, and many more.

The Jitro Choir’s classical discography includes 36 solo Jitro discs. They have recorded with various companies like Supraphon, BMA, Classico, Amabile, ArcoDiva and Navona Records. The recent discography of the choir contains a special edition of albums devoted to famous composers associated with the choir: Anton Dvořák, Bohuslav Martinů, Otmar Mácha, Petr Eben, Ilja Hurník, Jan Jirásek. Since 1977, Jiří Skopal has led the choir as Artistic Director and Principle Conductor winning high praise for his brilliant leadership, and pianist Michael Chrobak’s superb playing adds luster to the choir’s remarkable performances.

Jiří Skopal – Choral Conductor and Music Educator, born on August 15th, 1947 in Velké Losiny, Czech Republic.

Dr. Skopal was given his first education in music by his father Jan Skopal, a choral conductor of the North Moravia´s Teachers´Association. For his Masters in education, he studied in Olomouc from 1965 to 1969 and received his doctorate in 1973. In1982, he was named Associate Professor at the Charles University in Prague, and in1994 he became a full Professor. Even Dr. Skopal’s very first choir, which was founded at the primary and secondary school in Postřelmov, won first prize in a regional singing competition in 1972. In the years 1968-82, he was working as a vocal adviser for the North Moravia´s Teachers´Association, and in 1971 he started another choir in Mohelnice. Since 1974, he has been teaching at the University of Hradec Králové, where during the years 1986-90 he was the chair of the music department, where he founded a new choral conducting course during his tenure. He is an author of publications on the subjects of music psychology, history and management of boy choirs, and theory and methodology in choral singing. In 1977, he took over the management of the choir from Josef Vrátil and a year later, the choir changed its name to the Královéhradecký Children’s Choir JITRO, with which he has achieved major national and international success at concerts in Europe, Asia and the USA, as well as at prestigious global competitions in places such as Llangollen, Neerpelt, Lecco, Varna, Nantes, Olomouc, Žilina and others. These days, he still works as the choir conductor and music director of JITRO. He and his wife Květa Skopalová also founded a boy choir Boni Pueri in years 1982-96. In total, Jiří Skopal has recorded 43 albums with his choirs, conducted more than 3500 concerts and in the year 2000, he received the Primus Inter Pares award for an exceptional benefit to the culture from the Mayor of Hradec Králové. Jiří Skopal has also been a judge in national and international competitions, as well as a lecturer of conducting courses in the Czech Republic and abroad.

JITRO Czech Girls Choir

JITRO, meaning “Daybreak” in Czech, is more than just a concert choir from Hradec Kralove, a town in the Czech Republic. It is an organization of 400 children in seven preparatory ensembles, of which only the best 25 or 30 qualify to tour. For 45 years they have been admired all over the world for their tonal brilliance, superb intonation, distinctive rich blend of sound and energetic vitality. Today, Jitro is considered as one of the best children’s choirs anywhere in the world. Many awards have been bestowed on the choir by international juries, including prestigious European contests such as Llangollen (1988), Nantes (1989), Neerpelt (1996), Olomouc (2003), Xiamen (2006), Lecco (2010), Pardubice (2015), and Žilina (2017).

America’s love of Jitro was re-born when the choir was invited to sing at the National Convention of the American Choral Conductors Association in San Antonio, Texas in 1993. Standing ovations were given by thousands of professional American conductors in the auditorium. An official response from Dr. J. B. Haberlen, ACDA President, “Our ACDA members will long remember your concerts, as they were a major highlight of the 1993 convention.” The excitement in this select audience of choral conductors and their sustained applause attest to this fact. Professor Doreen Rao of Toronto University commented, “Are you aware that you have just changed forever the character and style of all American choral singing?”

Jitro Choir makes over 100 appearances annually and has sung with other renowned choruses, including the American Boys’ Choir. Jitro has performed with the Bavarian Symphonic Orchestra, the Milano Symphonic Orchestra, the Prague Symphony Orchestra and Czech Philharmonic. They have performed in prestigious concert halls in Prague, Barcelona, Hale, Bern, Basle, Dortmund, Avignon, Toulouse, Strasbourg, Austin, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington, Baltimore, Atlanta, Nashville, Indianapolis, Madison, Chicago, Penn State University, New York City, Huston, San Antonio, Dallas, Corpus Christi, Oklahoma City, Kansas City, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Xiamen, and many more.

The Jitro Choir’s classical discography includes 36 solo Jitro discs. They have recorded with various companies like Supraphon, BMA, Classico, Amabile, ArcoDiva and Navona Records. The recent discography of the choir contains a special edition of albums devoted to famous composers associated with the choir: Anton Dvořák, Bohuslav Martinů, Otmar Mácha, Petr Eben, Ilja Hurník, Jan Jirásek. Since 1977, Jiří Skopal has led the choir as Artistic Director and Principle Conductor winning high praise for his brilliant leadership, and pianist Michael Chrobak’s superb playing adds luster to the choir’s remarkable performances.

Jiří Skopal – Choral Conductor and Music Educator, born on August 15th, 1947 in Velké Losiny, Czech Republic.

Dr. Skopal was given his first education in music by his father Jan Skopal, a choral conductor of the North Moravia´s Teachers´Association. For his Masters in education, he studied in Olomouc from 1965 to 1969 and received his doctorate in 1973. In1982, he was named Associate Professor at the Charles University in Prague, and in1994 he became a full Professor. Even Dr. Skopal’s very first choir, which was founded at the primary and secondary school in Postřelmov, won first prize in a regional singing competition in 1972. In the years 1968-82, he was working as a vocal adviser for the North Moravia´s Teachers´Association, and in 1971 he started another choir in Mohelnice. Since 1974, he has been teaching at the University of Hradec Králové, where during the years 1986-90 he was the chair of the music department, where he founded a new choral conducting course during his tenure. He is an author of publications on the subjects of music psychology, history and management of boy choirs, and theory and methodology in choral singing. In 1977, he took over the management of the choir from Josef Vrátil and a year later, the choir changed its name to the Královéhradecký Children’s Choir JITRO, with which he has achieved major national and international success at concerts in Europe, Asia and the USA, as well as at prestigious global competitions in places such as Llangollen, Neerpelt, Lecco, Varna, Nantes, Olomouc, Žilina and others. These days, he still works as the choir conductor and music director of JITRO. He and his wife Květa Skopalová also founded a boy choir Boni Pueri in years 1982-96. In total, Jiří Skopal has recorded 43 albums with his choirs, conducted more than 3500 concerts and in the year 2000, he received the Primus Inter Pares award for an exceptional benefit to the culture from the Mayor of Hradec Králové. Jiří Skopal has also been a judge in national and international competitions, as well as a lecturer of conducting courses in the Czech Republic and abroad.

JITRO Czech Girls Choir

JITRO, meaning “Daybreak” in Czech, is more than just a concert choir from Hradec Kralove, a town in the Czech Republic. It is an organization of 400 children in seven preparatory ensembles, of which only the best 25 or 30 qualify to tour. For 45 years they have been admired all over the world for their tonal brilliance, superb intonation, distinctive rich blend of sound and energetic vitality. Today, Jitro is considered as one of the best children’s choirs anywhere in the world. Many awards have been bestowed on the choir by international juries, including prestigious European contests such as Llangollen (1988), Nantes (1989), Neerpelt (1996), Olomouc (2003), Xiamen (2006), Lecco (2010), Pardubice (2015), and Žilina (2017).

America’s love of Jitro was re-born when the choir was invited to sing at the National Convention of the American Choral Conductors Association in San Antonio, Texas in 1993. Standing ovations were given by thousands of professional American conductors in the auditorium. An official response from Dr. J. B. Haberlen, ACDA President, “Our ACDA members will long remember your concerts, as they were a major highlight of the 1993 convention.” The excitement in this select audience of choral conductors and their sustained applause attest to this fact. Professor Doreen Rao of Toronto University commented, “Are you aware that you have just changed forever the character and style of all American choral singing?”

Jitro Choir makes over 100 appearances annually and has sung with other renowned choruses, including the American Boys’ Choir. Jitro has performed with the Bavarian Symphonic Orchestra, the Milano Symphonic Orchestra, the Prague Symphony Orchestra and Czech Philharmonic. They have performed in prestigious concert halls in Prague, Barcelona, Hale, Bern, Basle, Dortmund, Avignon, Toulouse, Strasbourg, Austin, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington, Baltimore, Atlanta, Nashville, Indianapolis, Madison, Chicago, Penn State University, New York City, Huston, San Antonio, Dallas, Corpus Christi, Oklahoma City, Kansas City, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Xiamen, and many more.

The Jitro Choir’s classical discography includes 36 solo Jitro discs. They have recorded with various companies like Supraphon, BMA, Classico, Amabile, ArcoDiva and Navona Records. The recent discography of the choir contains a special edition of albums devoted to famous composers associated with the choir: Anton Dvořák, Bohuslav Martinů, Otmar Mácha, Petr Eben, Ilja Hurník, Jan Jirásek. Since 1977, Jiří Skopal has led the choir as Artistic Director and Principle Conductor winning high praise for his brilliant leadership, and pianist Michael Chrobak’s superb playing adds luster to the choir’s remarkable performances.