Jan Schulmeister, violin
Born in 1964 in Olomouc, Moravia, Jan comes from a very old musical family. His great grandfather, Frantisek Cerny was a friend and fellow pupil of Dvorak. His father taught violin until his retirement and his mother is a sought-after singing teacher.
Another member of Jan's family, his great uncle Vasa Cerny, was the founder and cellist of the famous Janacek Quartet as well as holding the position of first cellist in the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra.
After studying at the Conservatoire in Kromeriz, Jan arrived at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague in 1985, where he became a founder member of the Wihan Quartet, which was formed in that year.
There he also met his future wife, whom he married in 1989 and with whom he has two daughters, Katherine and Dagmar. Since the break-up of this marriage in 2003, he subsequently met Martina, pianist and teacher, whom he plans to marry in 2005.
His hobbies really revolve around music: he collects CDs specialising in famous and unusual interpretations and reads widely about the history of music. He really loves working with young chamber music ensembles and is able to do this both at Trinity College of Music and at Pro Corda, where the Wihan Quartet teach several times a year.
Likes and Dislikes: hates very hot weather and loves autumn. Jan Schulmeister plays on a Stefano Scamparella violin (Brescia 1893).
Wihan Quartet
general manager: Maureen Phillips
Upbeat Classical Management, PO Box 479, Uxbridge, Middlesex UB8 2ZH, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0) 1895 259 441 • wihan@upbeatclassical.co.uk • www.upbeatclassical.co.uk
