IN Memory

Ladislav Jásek

by Wendy Heiligenberg

LADISLAV JÁSEK (1930-2023)

It is with great sadness that we report the passing of the great Czech violinist and eminent teacher Ladislav Jásek, aged 93, who made Australia his home in 1959. Following winning the prestigious Carl Flesch competition in 1956, he embarked on an international career, but due to the interest that the Czech secret police had in seeking him to provide information about the West, he sought asylum in Australia.

His career in Australia was varied and widespreadfrom teaching at the Elder Conservatorium in Adelaide, Brisbane and New Zealand Universities, then leading the Sydney Opera and Ballet Orchestra and finally returning to Adelaide as Concertmaster of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra.

It has been my privilege to gather testimonials and speak to some of his former students, including Bethany Di Natale and Niki Vasilakis, and I also spoke to Madeline Melrose and Keith Crellin, OAM about their experiences with Láďa as a teacher.

Bethany Di Natale writes:

“Mr Jásek taught me violin for 10 years. He saw past my defects and straight to my potential…

I wasn’t an easy student in that I didn’t practise much and had much to correct technically. He was willing to work with me for years. I never noticed his patience, however, only his deep passion and cheer for the violin repertoire….”

Bethany’s father, Adrian Hookway praised Láďa as a patient and cheerful teacher, who instilled his passion for music in Bethany.

Niki Vasilakis describes Láďa’s generosity with his time. “He would invite me and my mum over to his house for many afternoons of sharing music, he had the biggest collection of CDs I ever did see… we would pore over scores…and he would send me home with so many materials to listen to and compare performances… He just had so much treasure to share, and it made for some of the happiest musical afternoons for me.”

Madeline Melrose (Procopio) began playing violin aged 8 under the tuition of a university student. Her mother ran a local delicatessen, and Madeline would practice in the shop. Láďa just happened to hear her whilst shopping one day, and, recognizing her talent, became her teacher for the next 5 years. Lessons were not primarily devoted to technique, but rather he “threw her a piece”, and Madeline would rise to the challenge. She said he was wonderful for instilling musical expression in his students.

To quote Keith Crellin OAM,” Láďa epitomised the great soloist, the great artist who lived for music.” Láďa’s musical journey was not without difficulties. He had poor teaching in his early years and had not had the benefit of the science of teaching string instruments that we use today, but he pushed through these disadvantages and triumphed as a soloist and a teacher. He wanted the very best for his students and was always a kind and devoted teacher, presenting his students with the challenges and the joys of the great classics.

In his early years, he played the piano almost as well as the violin, and later regularly accompanied his lucky students in their lessons and performances.

At the age of 93, and just five days before passing away, Láďa gave his last concert with Monika at his retirement village. (They had performed a hundred and fifteen recitals there in the last 10 years!) Right until the end, Láďa was still generously and joyously spreading his passion for music to one and all.