Biography
Pavol Valášek, born in 1993 in Ruzomberok (Slovakia), studied Organ under Mag. Marián Muška at the Conservatory of Music in Zilina (in Slovakia) and under lecturer Imrich Szabó at the Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts in Bratislava. Starting in 2017 he then studied Organ under lecturer Rainer Oster and graduated with a Bachelor’s in summer 2019.
He went on to study for his Master’s under Prof. Andreas Rothkopf at the University of Music Saarbrücken (HfM Saar) from 2019 to 2021, graduating with Distinction. Since September 2022 Pavol Valasek has been working as a full time organist and choir director in Oberstdorf (Germany). In order to widen his scope of knowledge he has attended several Masterclasses with renowned musicians: Olivier Latry, Jean-Baptiste Monnot, Thierry Escaich, Vincent Warnier, Zuzana Mausen-Ferjenčíková, Monika Melcová und Ernst Wally.
He has been a semifinalist at various international competitions (St. Maurice – Lausanne, Hamburg, Katowice, Opava). In 2013 he won third prize in the National Slovakian Young Organist Competition (Košice). In 2018 he was a Bruno und Elisabeth Meindl Foundation scholar and in 2020 he was awarded the Deutschlandstipendium scholarship. From 2014 to 2017 he worked as an organist with the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra as well as the National Male Voice Choir (SZSU).
The young artist has recorded several solo productions with RTVS (Radio and Television Slovakia), Czech Radio and Saarländischer Runkfunk (Bach, Bonnet, Demmesieux, Liszt, Reubke...) and in 2015 he recorded the first CD for the organ dedication in Sielnica (Slovakia). Pavol Valasek is one of Slovakia’s most prolific organists of his generation. In February and December 2019, June 2022, February 2023 and Mai 2024 he has been guest lecturer (for a seminar)at the Conservatory in Žilina.
In 2019 he recorded a profile CD on the famous Schweriner Dom and Dudelange (Luxemburg) organs, produced by Music Fund Slovakia
and the “Stiftung Historische Musik” Saar Foundation. “His love for great romantic organ repertoire shines through in these productions. What sets him apart besides rich tone colours are his transparent and virtuous playing, without forcing it or being pretentious. He considers his work on his programmes both a commitment and a joy of playing.” (Music Fund Slovakia)
Pavol Valášek performs regularly both nationally as well as internationally (e.g. Slovakia, The Czech Republic, Luxemburg and Germany) as solo artist as well as with various other soloists, choirs and ensembles, such as the Bach Collegium Saarbrücken and SKO Žilina and The State Chamber Orchestra Žilina. In October 2023 he performed together with Sarah Kim and Lucile Dollat at the concert ´´Rising Stars´´ in Dudelange (Luxembourg). He has premiered various solo organ and chamber music compositions, amongst them works by Tomas Vrskovy, Peter Spilak, Lubos Bernath and Gorka Cuesta (Saarlouis-Lisdorf 2020).
