The document provides information about the Pavel Krizkovsky High School Specializing in Arts located in Brno, Czech Republic. It was founded in 1993 to provide artistic education for students inclined towards the arts. Students can choose from three specializations: music, fine arts, or literary/dramatic arts. The school aims to provide a well-rounded education through its integration of general subjects and artistic disciplines. It cultivates students' talents and allows them to showcase their skills through various cultural projects and performances. The quality of education and student achievements have established the school's reputation among successful high schools in the Czech Republic.

1. Welcome to the

2. our school
Brno
The Czech Republic is located at the very heart of Central Europe.

3. contact:
Gymnázium P. Křížkovského s
uměleckou profilací, s.r.o.
Kristenova 27, 624 00 Brno
Czech Republic
fax: +420 541 224 654
tel: +420 541 224 508
official address: gymum@gymum.cz
schoolmaster: reditelka@gymum.cz

4. The name of the school
The “Pavel Krizkovsky High School“ is named after Pavel Křížkovský.
Pavel Křížkovský (Germanized as Karel Krischkowsky)
(January 9, 1820 - May 8, 1885) was a Czech choral
composer and conductor.
Křížkovský was born in Kreutzendorf, Silesia. He was a
chorister in a monastery in Troppau and studied
philosophy in Brno and Olomouc. He became an
Augustinian friar in 1845, entering the St. Thomas's
Abbey and was named choirmaster there in 1848. He
founded two choral societies in Brno and gave choral
and chamber music concerts regularly. Leoš Janáček
belonged among his choral students.
Křížkovský was a dedicated Slavic culturalist and often
gave performances of lesser-known Moravian and
Czech composers before withdrawing from secular
musicianship in the 1870s as a result of the Cecilian
movement. Following this, he became choir director at
a cathedral in Olomouc, and retired in 1877. He died
in Brno.
Most of Křížkovský's compositional output consists of
choral settings of folk songs and sacred vocal music.
His best known work is the cantata Sts. Cyril and
Methodius.

5. The Pavel Krizkovsky High School
The Pavel Krizkovsky High School Specialising in Arts was founded in 1993. The school is intended for children
who have successfully finished their fifth or ninth year of primary school education and who are naturally
inclined to the arts and the humanities. In its conception the school builds on the traditions of classic education
which - along with the teaching of the arts and associated subjects - makes it a new and unconventional type of
school.
The curriculum of general school subjects is extended by a set of obligatory and optional humanistic subjects,
such as the history of art, cultural geography, the foundations of philosophy or Latin.
Artistic subjects make up an ordinary part of the studies while also offering the students the possibility of
creative self-realization under the guidance of pedagogical specialists including external teachers from the
conservatory, Janacek Academy of Musical Arts (JAMU), the Faculty of Fine Arts of Brno University of Technology
(FAVU), HaDivadlo etc.
Students can chose among the following three artistic branches:
Musical Fine arts Literary-dramatic
Their studies terminate in the school-leaving exam which comprises Czech language and literature, a foreign
language and two (or three) optional subjects. The students can furthermore complete the practical part of the
exam based on their artistic field of study (graduates' concerts, fine arts projects or theatrical performances).
The widely-based conception of their studies allows the school leavers to continue their studies at all types of
universities, colleges or academies.
Owing to its underlying conception, the Pavel Krizkovsky High School Specialising in Arts is a unique Czech
school which – thanks to the quality of education and presentation in the Czech Republic as well as abroad –
takes its place as of right among successful high schools.

6. Specialisation in Music
The study of music presupposes
considerable talent along with special
training since childhood (provided either
by a primary or an artistic school). Its aim is
the all-round musical progress of the students
and their orientation in the musical and cultural
world.
The study of this specialisation includes musical
education and playing a musical instrument. In musical
education the students cultivate and deepen their
intonation, singing, instrumental, listening and music
and movement powers. They acquire the foundations
of music theory, harmony and the teaching of musical
instruments and forms along with the history of Czech
and world music.
During their individual lessons, the students become
acquainted with the best literature on their subject and
learn to master the technical and expressive
possibilities of the chosen instrument so that it
becomes a medium through which to express artistic
thoughts, reproducing adequately solo and chamber
compositions and last but not least their own
improvisations. An important part of the students'
education is preparation for teamwork, including
playing in ensembles, orchestras or chamber playing
and singing.

7. Specialisation in Music
The quality of musical education is guaranteed
not only by the teachers of the Pavel Krizkovsky
High School, the Janacek Academy of Musical
Arts and the conservatory in Brno but also by
outstanding soloists. The students display their
musical talents, skills and knowledge during the
educational process in the regular interpretative
seminars as well as in many cultural projects.
The outcome of their efforts include an opera,
O komínku (2004), Requiem by T. L. da Victoria
(2002), The International Festival of Children's
Choirs held on the 100th anniversary of
professor Lýsek´s birth (2004) and many other
projects. The students of this specialisation
often perform on concert platforms in the
Czech Republic as well as abroad. They gain
outstanding awards for playing musical
instruments.
They also regularly participate in cultural events
such as vernissages of their classmates or
prominent artists.

8. This specialisation offers its students a wide range
of possibilities of developing their talent by means
of the active and theoretical pursuit of fine art.
The aim of this main subject is the aesthetic
cultivation of personality which leads to the
development of "visual thinking" and "visual
language"; the students are continuously
familiarised with the theory of fine art.
The basic discipline of fine art teaching is
supplemented with subjects that allow the
students to engage in studies which have aroused
their interests or are connected with their future
university studies. In the sixth year of their
studies, this specialisation is supplemented with
a history of fine art seminar. During the ten years
of the school's existence a wide choice of optional
subjects have appeared:

9.  Ceramics – an obligatory subject for the first, second and third year
of study; optional for other students. In the workroom, students
acquire the foundations of pottery. They can try various ways of
creating ceramic products as well as surfacing. There are several
kinds of potter's clay, potter's wheels and a kiln at their disposal.
 Drawing and painting – the teaching focuses on the practice of
drawing and painting techniques, figurative and abstract creative
expression.
 Graphics – in these lessons students get acquainted with particular
kinds of graphic techniques (eg. linocut, woodcut, dry point,
etching etc).
 Architecture – the basis of this subject is an introduction to the
rules of perspective; students also practice linear and technical
drawing.
 Textile production – in this optional subject students can apply
their artistic gifts when painting silk, weaving tapestries, tie-dyeing
and engaging in many more textile techniques.
 Plastic art – an atelier specialises in the creation of three-
dimensional objects and relievos. Apart from carving and sculpture
students can try new techniques.

10. Students of this specialisation regularly show their works in public. Parents, classmates and the general
public are invited to exhibitions that take place at the school. Among newly-established traditions may
be included students´ commercial exhibitions which have positively influenced the atmosphere of the
school concerts at the Governor's Palace, in the Assembly House and recently in the baroque hall
of the Lords of Kunštát House. The alumni of this specialisation have displayed their leaving
examination works in many galleries and show-rooms in Brno.
Apart from many awards gained in
competitions, the fine art students have carried
out many interesting projects (cooperation
with a social-welfare institute for physically
and mentally handicapped children, decoration
of the oncological section of the University
Childrens´ Hospital of J. G. Mendel in Brno,
the creation of a life-sized creche for Freedom
Square Christmas decoration, cooperation
with a nursery and auxiliary school for children
with multiple handicaps – ELPIS, decorating
the rehabilitation centre in the Nový Lískovec
quarter and many more).

11. The literary-dramatic specialisation is based on drama in theory
and practice. During their four or eight years of study, the
Specialisation students acquire abilities, skills and knowledge directly
connected with dramatic and literary works. Thanks to special
in drama theoretical subjects (the history of theatre, the history of art and
dramatic theory) they gain an overview of the foundations of the
history, theory and critique of dramatic art including its
reception and reflection. The specialised subjects (literary-
dramatic education, vocal education and singing, rhetoric,
theatrical expression, movement and communication) are crucial
and lead to the conscious development and acquirement of the
basic preconditions of dramatic activity (playing, movement,
vocal and socially-communicative skills) and the process of
theatrical production and staging.
The specialised of literary-dramatic studies furthermore include
recitation and textual interpretation, writing plays, staging
dramatic or prose texts and other creative areas. The first study
cycle is focused on the acquirement of basic skills (voice, body
language, facial expressions, gesticulation, expression and
rhythm as well as characterisation etc.) whereas the second cycle
deals with the writing and staging of the productions. The
students work with other authors as well as their own texts.
They learn how to act roles and how to work with the characters
and the plot. They develop stylized expression and collective
cooperation. The skills that they acquire during their studies
include improvisation and the cultivated interpretation of texts,
situations and plots. The standard of their education is
guaranteed by the presence of experienced teachers and
theatrical artists.

12. Specialisation
in drama
The fruits of the creative effort of the students
and their teachers are presented during school
as well as non-school events. These include
vernissages, concerts, thematic evenings or
performances (theatrical studies, poetic
collages, declamatory performances as well as
full-length performances).
Among other works, stage performances
include Limonádový Joe (a musical, 2002,
Barka Theatre), two fairy tales with masks
called Pohádky? by Perrault (2003, HaDivadlo),
the Bald Soprano (an absurdist drama, 2003, the Mahen Memorial), romantic ballads by Jan Neruda (2003,
the Convent of Merciful Brothers), Noční košile by Hevier (number one in the regional round of the National
Basic Artistic Schools Competition, 2004), Songs without Music by Frynta (2004), O komínku (an opera,
2004) or a new work called Museum Fiction (2004, The Goose on a String Theatre). The students often gain
awards in declamatory competitions and amateur theatrical shows (Brněnské kolo, Dětská scéna,
National Basic Artistic Schools Competition etc).
The strength of the literary-dramatic specialisation lies in artistic education and teaching amateur (or
professional) playwrights. In the context of the school (and also with regard to the development of drama
education in the Czech Republic in the nineties), this specialisation has undergone considerable changes.
Along with the deepening of students´ communicational and creative skills, the current conception
concentrates on the development of original theatrical (actor's, interpretative and scenic) production.

13. Scholastici
musici
Scholastici musici is a chamber
ensemble of students from
Pavel Krizkovsky High School
Specialising in Arts in Brno.
In their repertoire there are
Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque
and Classicist vocal and
instrumental compositions,
including music of
contemporary composers
and a collection of folk songs.
The ensemble best succeeds in interpretation of old music to which they devote their time within
annual educational projects. The ensemble has given concerts in many European as well as
overseas music halls under František Pospíšil´s artistic direction. They have recorded four
compact disks called "Flute Imaginations", "From Gothics till Contemporary Days", "Requiem –
Officium Defunctorum„ by T. L. de Victoria and "Scholastici Musici and Czech Music". They have
also made several recordings for Czech national radio and Czech national television.

14. Mr. František Pospíšil – the founder of the school

15. Our school is not big but the teachers are great.
They always support and appreciate their students’ achievements.