Mgr. Mária Straková

  Studies:

  1987-1995  Elementary School in Dolný Kubín

  1987-1998  Art School of P. M. Bohúň in Dolný Kubín – piano playing

  1995-1999  Business Academy in Dolný Kubín

  2000-2006  Comenius University in Bratislava, Faculty of Philosophy – Department

                     of  Ethnology

        - exam from ethnochoreology

  2003-2004  at the Academy of Performing Arts she attended lectures on pedagogy

                     of folklore dance:

        - practical exam from the basics of folklore dance - I. and II. grade

        - exam from the folklore dance aesthetics

        - exam from the folklore dance theory basics

                     Participation in “Dance houses” while cooperating with Lúčnica

Work experience:

ethnologist; soloist - singing;

singing, dancing and piano teacher;  musical dramaturgy; production                  

1997-1998  Piano teacher for I. grade at the Art School

                   of Ivan Ballo

2005  present Voice teacher at Children’s folklore ensemble

          Čunovský kŕdeľ

2004-2005  Voice teacher at Children’s folklore ensemble Sárik

2008  Voice teacher at Children’s folklore ensemble Rozmarín

          in Vienna

2001-2006  Soloist, head of the Singing group Lúčnica

2007-2013  Soloist, head of the Singing group SĽUK

Participation in prominent world theatres while cooperating

with Lúčnica and SĽUK:

Royal Opera House - London; Japan; China; Italy;...

2007-2013  Dramaturge, assistant of the orchestra artistic director   

                   SĽUK

2013 - present Artistic director at Children’s folklore ensemble

           Čunovský kŕdeľ

           present Dancing teacher at Children’s folklore ensemble

           Čunovský kŕdeľ

Musical dramaturgy of 22 episodes of a documentary series for RTVS - "Wine routes of Slovakia"

Assistant to the film production of the documentary "Traditional folklore dances in Slovakia", Digital museum, Digitalization centre of the Museum of the Slovak National Uprising SNP / Ministry of Culture

Ethnological expert consultant for Traditional folklore culture, musical dramaturgy, National project – Activating methods in education “132 trips to knowledge”, Methodological and Pedagogical Centre / Ministry of Education

Production, dramaturgy and artistic interpretation in solo and group singing in a part of the project "LATERNA MAGIKA", National project – Activating  methods in education “132 trips to knowledge”, Methodological and Pedagogical Centre / Ministry of Education

           Life through Mária Straková’s folklore song

          Mária Straková deals with interpretation of folklore songs from different regions of Slovakia. In early childhood she was impressed by the singing interpretation skills of Anna Rusnáková, a singer from Horná Orava region. Later it was the leading performers of folklore song Ján Ambróz, Mária Brdárska, Hanka Hulejová, Monika Kandráčová and many others. She had the pleasure to work with ensembles like Muzička ar Trnki with which she cooperated and thanks to which she accompanied many famous musicians on the stage. She has started active singing at the age of 10 in the Children’s folklore ensemble Trnka in Dolný Kubín. She regularly participates and artistically contributes to the realization of programmes at various folklore festivals (Folklore festival in Východná, Podpoľanie folklore festival in Detva, Hont parade in Hrušov, SNMS-E in Habovka, Slovak Christian carols’ days in Chrenovec, Mothers’ day in Sliače, Echoes under Kráľova Hoľa in Telgárt, International festival of children’s folklore ensembles in Bratislava), chamber programmes (Poem of wood, Inspiration and aims of traditions, Bratislava’s coffee, Encounters of the past and the present,...). She also participated in a major event organized on the occasion of the world year of the Slovaks – Reminiscence of the Slovak world in Martin in 1997. Under the guidance of an experienced and caring doc. Ing. arch. V. J. Gruska she has a possibility to prepare a programme – “Folklore music in the city”. In 2004 she presented her profile concert “Songs, my songs...” as a participant of the Slovak folklore festival Východná, where the aim was to introduce the new young singing generation, who works with a song based on various personal experience (theoretical knowledge, personal contacts with authentic singers, work with authentic recordings). She wanted to introduce the song as a pure form of traditional artistic performance that is able to testify various topics. Between 2001-2006 as a soloist and the head of the singing group Lúčnica, she participated in the feature-length programmes Song and game, Before the music, Representation programme, Dance and game and Krapaty) and successfully represented the Slovak folklore at home and abroad (Africa - Tunisia, Italy-Genoa, Forli, Turin, Milan, Rome, Great Britain – London). Between 2007-2013 as a soloist and the head of the singing group SĽUK, she participated in the feature-length programmes Dream, From Juraj Kubánek’s golden chest, Selected works, Pictures from Slovakia, Returns to non-return, They will play, Dance between flinders, Chorea Slovaca, Henry Toth and SĽUK, Christmas concert – Silent night was..., Christmas concert – We wish you, with which they successfully represented themselves at home and abroad (Asia – China, Japan; Europe). Today, as a free artist, performer, teacher and musical dramaturge, using her knowledge, she tries to inspire children and youth to be creative and to evoke a positive interest for traditional folklore culture – everybody has their childhood land..

Success achieved with the children and youth in preparation for the Slovak national and international competitions of solo and group singing:

The winner of the Slovak national competition in solo singing "The Slovak Nightingale"

2009 Vanessa Kokyová – 1st place

Laureates, multiple winners for western Slovakia in the Slovak national competition in solo singing "The Slovak Nightingale"

2005 Veronika Kurajová - category III – 1st place

2006 Milan Šimek - category II - 1st place

2007 Eva Miškovičová - category III – 2nd place

2008 Vanessa Kokyová - category II - 1st place

2013, 2012 Kristína Freyová - category II and III- 1st place

2015 Katarína Póňová - category II - 1st place

2016, 2015 Samuel Szabó – category I - 1st place

International competition "ČESKOSLOVENSKO MÁ TALENT" (Czechoslovak Idol)

2010 Vanessa Kokyová – 4th place

 Placement in the category of solo and group singing

2007 Gold medal in the category singing group CFE Čunovský kŕdeľ on the festival of musical folklore "CFF" in Košice

2008 Gold medal in the category girls’ singing group CFE Čunovský kŕdeľ on the national parade "NOC" in Banská Bystrica

2014 Silver medal in the category singing group CFE Čunovský kŕdeľ on the national parade "NOC" in singing and dancing "Vidiečanova Habovka"

2016 Gold medal in the category boy soloist CFE Čunovský kŕdeľ on the national state parade "NOC" "Vidiečanova Habovka"  given to Samuel Szabó.

Artistic cooperation on SĽUK’s CD:

(soloist, vocalist in a singing group)

SĽUK in the edition: The most beautiful Slovak folklore songs

2002-Folklore songs about good humour – edition II.

                   "Fľaštička, pohárik"

          Christmas songs and carols – edition III.

                   "Šťastia, zdravia, dlhô žitia, vinšujeme Vám"

2003-Wedding songs - edition IV.

                   "Môj vienok zelený"

          Christmas songs and carols – edition V.

                   "Dobrý pastier sa narodil"

2004-Christmas songs and carols – edition VII.

                   "Poďme bratia do Betléma"

2005-Love songs - edition VIII.

                   "Láska, bože, láska"

2006-Humorous-witty-erotic songs - edition VIV.      

                   "Pýtala sa Eva Adama"

           SĽUK’s folklore songs - edition X (2CDs)

                   "Najkrajšie z najkrajších"

     Selection of the most beautiful Christmas songs - edition XI.

                   "Daj Boh šťastia tejto zemi"

2007-Selection of dance music - edition XII.

                   "Slovenská tanečná ľudová hudba"

           Christmas songs and carols - edition XIII.

                   "O Ježišku roztomilý"

2013-Christmas music of the Slovaks and minorities

                   "Vinšujeme Vám"

Artistic cooperation on CDs:

DFS Čunovský kŕdeľ

(teacher, music dramaturge)

2006 - Children folklore songs from various regions of Slovakia      

                    " Spieva DFS Čunovský kŕdeľ"

Katka Toroková and folklore music of Miroslav Dudík

(vocalist in a singing group)

2004 - Folklore songs from Nitra and Tekov

                                "Kázala mi maťi"

Singers from Redová and Muzička

(vocalist in singing group)

2011 - Folklore songs from Rejdová  

                     "Či to šitko pravda"

Artistic cooperation on Szidi Tobias’ CD:

(vocalist)

2011 - Szidi Tobias - "Ať se dobré děje"

2015 - Szidi Tobias - "Jolanka"

Solo CD of Mária Straková:

2015 - Mária Straková

                    "Piesne z vinohradov Slovenska"

 For purchase: click here