Palace Music: Piano duo Kalabova & Gugg
Tereza Gugg-Kalabova and Johannes Gugg
Program:
Franz Schubert
Sonata in C major “Grand Duo”, D 812
Johann Strauss
Frühlingsstimmen, op. 410 (arr. for piano duo)
Antonin Dvorák
Slavonic Dances, Op. 46, No. 2 & 3
Bedřich Smetana
Moldau (composer`s arr. for piano duo)
In cooperation with Austrian Embassy in Tallinn
At the latest since winning a special prize at the ARD Music Competition 2021, the piano duo KALABOVA & GUGG regularly performs in major concert halls. Recently, they made their debut at the Vienna Konzerthaus, in the Brahms Hall of the Vienna Musikverein as well as at the Romanian Athenaeum in Bucharest as a substitute for Martha Argerich. Tereza Gugg-Kalabova (Czech Republic) and Johannes Gugg (Austria) were both born in 1998 and have formed a piano duo since their teenage years. Thanks to their early collaboration, they have experienced a significant part of their musical development together, resulting in a profound mutual understanding and finely nuanced, well-balanced interpretations. The aspiring duo was awarded numerous first prizes, for instance, at the International Chamber Music Competition Franz Schubert&Modern Music in Graz, the International Duo Competition Suzana Szörenyi in Bucharest, the ArtePiano Competition in Castelnuovo di Farfa, the International Schubert Piano Duo Competition in Jesenik, the Music and Earth Competition in Sofia, the Vlastimil Lejsek Piano Duo Competition in Brno, the Martha Debelli Scholarship Competition at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz, the Austrian competition Prima la Musica and at the International Summer Academy of the mdw. In addition to that, they won 2nd prizes at the 14th International Piano Competition in Rome and the Duettissimo Piano Duo Competition in Krakow, where they were also awarded the Mozart Prize.
Concert invitations have taken them to Germany, Czechia, Austria, Poland, Romania, Italy, Spain, Brazil, and the Netherlands. The young musicians have performed multiple times with various orchestras, including the Krakow Philharmonic, the Munich Chamber Orchestra, the Webern Chamber Philharmonic and the Orchestra of the Brno Conservatory. Their performance of Carl Czerny’s Piano Concerto for Four-Hands with the Webern Chamber Philharmonic was broadcast on ORF as part of a charity concert for ‘Licht ins Dunkel’. They also appeared in other TV and radio shows in Austria (Intrada, Ö1), Germany (ttt-extra, ARD), Czechia (Radio Vltava), Poland (Radio Krakow) and the Netherlands (Podium Klassiek, NPO). Both completed their Piano-Solo studies with Ayami Ikeba as well as their InstrumentalPedagogy studies at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz with distinction. In June 2025, they also graduated with distinction from the Master’s Programme Piano-Duo in the class of Sivan Silver and Gil Garburg. For the years 2025 and 2026, they have been selected for the NASOM sponsoring program of the Austrian Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs.
Kadriorg Palace is one the most well known and beautiful historic concert halls in Estonia offering memorable music experiences already for many decades. The tradition of performing music in the baroque palace goes back to 18th century when court music accompanied the daily life. The palace has had the pleasure to welcome many international artists and ensembles for outstanding performances.
The construction of the Kadriorg Palace was started by the Tsar Peter the Great of Russia in 1718. It was named Catharinenthal (in Estonian Kadriorg) in honour of his wife Catherine I. The palace was designed by the Italian architect Nicola Michetti and its abundantly decorated main hall is one of the most exquisite examples of baroque architecture both in Estonia and in northern Europe.
Kadriorg Palace has always been the crown jewel of Tallinn. The small festive tsars’ palace in the style of Roman Baroque, surrounded by a regular garden, with fountains, hedges and flowerbeds, planned after the ‘the model of Versailles. The palace was a summer residence of Russian emperors untill 1917. In the 1920s, and again in 1946-1991 palace served as the main building of the Art Museum of Estonia. In the 1930s, it was the residence of the Head of State of the Estonian Republic. In 2000, it was opened as the Kadriorg Art Museum, which displays the largest collection of old Russian and Western European art in Estonia. Music has been performed in the palace halls since the 18th century. In the past few decades, the most brilliant Estonian and international musicians have delighted listeners in the palace. Regular concerts started to take place in the Kadriorg Palace again in 2014, when the museum launched the Palace Music Concert Series. The extraordinary acoustics and the magnificent interior of the main hall make every concert a truly enjoyable artistic experience.
The artistic director of the Palace Music Concert Series is Aare Tammesalu. In cooperation of the Art Museum of Estonia. Tickets are on sale at the Kadriorg Art Museum and Piletikeskus outlets
Supporters: Estonian Ministry of Culture, The Cultural Endowment of Estonia, Estonian Public Broadcasting, Tallinn Culture and Sports Department, UNESCO City of Music Tallinn, Kultuurikõla, Pointprint
Special thanks: Visit Estonia, Visit Tallinn, Õhtuleht
