press kit

Michal Grombiřík (b. 1991) is a Czech cimbalom player who takes this traditional Central European instrument far beyond its folk roots, into contemporary music, jazz and free improvisation. He studied cimbalom at the Janáček Conservatory in Ostrava, then jazz performance and music management at the Janáček Academy of Performing Arts in Brno. At the International Cimbalom Competition in Valašské Meziříčí he won top prizes in 2009 and 2011, along with special jury awards for his performances of contemporary works. He regularly appears with symphony orchestras, chamber orchestras and ensembles in the Czech Republic and abroad. Alongside this he composes, leads his own projects, collaborates on concerts and recordings, and premieres new works. Through the Czech Cimbalom Association he also helps shape the Czech cimbalom scene. As a teacher, he works at a basic art school and coaches jazz ensembles at Kohútek, an alternative school for adults.