Richard Pohl
Dr. Richard Pohl, A Czech pianist, holder of the "Janáček Premium Award" and one of the presidents of the World Piano Teachers Association (WPTA) in China. He performed in many countries including Mexico, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Slovakia, Poland, Italy, Russia, Bulgaria and Hungary. At the age of fourteen he won at the Dittersdorf chamber music competition in the Czech Republic.
He taught at the Janáček Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Brno, the same university, where he graduated and earned his doctorate. There he also arranged his own course of "The History of Piano Playing and Teaching" and "History of Piano Performance" and published a book about Czech pianist Rudolf Firkušný. He came to China in 2016 as concert artist and teacher. He has since taught at Jiujiang University and currently at the Suzhou University of Technology.
He also lectured at the Sichuan Conservatory of Music in Chengdu and became visiting professor at Longdong University. As the top expert on Czech music, he has been regularly taking part in cultural and diplomatic events organized by the embassies in Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu. He has also served as the talent search recruiter for Czech music conservatories, helping to find the best young talent in China and facilitate their way to study music in his country.
He has held piano recitals and master classes in Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Wuhan, Hangzhou, Tianjin, Taiyuan, Changsha, Hohhot and many other places. Dr. Pohl is a Petrof Artist. For his contribution to the development in the Suzhou area he was awarded the 2021 Friend of Suzhou - Merit Award by the Suzhou Municipal People’s Government, and in 2022 and 2023 similar awards (Changshu Hero and Changshu People’s Friendship Envoy) in the Changshu city, the place where he currently resides. He is currently preparing series of CD recordings for the British music label Toccata Classics.