As posted below, Jitka Frankova will be performing at the Czech Center Museum Houston Monday, December 14 at 6:30 pm with reception to follow.  The CCMH has known Jitka for quite a while; in fact Mrs. Effie Rosene recently sent out this memory of Jitka in our e-newsletter:

It’s a beautiful story.  In 2001 Rice University piano faculty director Dr. Robert Roux called me for help in finding lodging hopefully with a Czech family for a brilliant young pianist from Ceśke Budejovice, Czech Republic.  We were still in our location at Northwest Mall at the time working hard to build the CCMH someday.  I broadcast an SOS first to our Board of Directors, Beatrice Mladenka Fowler whose home had just been vacated by her daughter Catherine and son Michael off to school out of state, connected immediately with Jitka.  Not long after son Michael began noticing Jitka and vice versa.  We remember Jitka’s fundraiser concert in the Fowler home with a delicious buffet dinner with a huge turkey in a Tux stuffed with delectable chicken salad and Jitka’s career only went up from there.  We remember the night she finished her master’s recital at Rice Stude Hall. In fact I remember it really well.  We at CCMH were feting Jitka with a celebration reception.  In my excitement I ran down Stude’s steps to open the Reception Room only to misstep with a really big sliding “whap” on my back at the bottom of the landing.  Stunned and in fear of paralysis I managed to get up and out the door, stood against the outer corridor wall and very graciously slid down it in a dead faint.  I awakened to lots of people around me.  I understand I was busy introducing people from right there on the floor!  The party started without me, a real success as I was told, for the brilliant young pianist!  I was spending five hours in Hermann Hospital Emergency Rooms, not near “emergency enough” to be seen, with so many serious cases around, i.e. shootings and stabbings.  Eventually I was told I probably suffered a trauma to my Sciatic nerve from the fall and went home with a Tylenol.  Yes, I do remember Jitka’s musical successes!  Her doctorate two years later including another beautiful performance, she has such a lovely, personal performing style!  The next big chapter included a story book wedding to Michael in a castle in her hometown of Ceske Budejovice and many months in European travel, then back to the states to work in a University Music Department in Fredonia, New York while Michael taught.  The last several years in Prague she has continued an international career with multiple performances in various countries, symphonies, orchestras and solo concerts.  We will get to meet Jitka’s parents, hear her on KUHF’s Front Row interview on Monday, the day of her concert.  We hear the magnitude of her concert music requires a Grand Steinway so that is really exciting to experience.  In the meanwhile we do have two baby grand Petrofs of which we are duly proud.

You really ought to come out for this performance.  The price is right, there is a reception and it may well be the greatest you will ever hear—Jitka Fowler Frankova’s Return to Houston with another concert at the Czech Center Museum Houston in Prague Hall.  Yes, we really feel Jitka is one of our own!  So is Michael.

For booking contact Valerie quickly at 713-528-2060, Valerie@czechcenter.org or online in our calendar section at www.czechcenter.org.