"We studied together your work today. It is great!!! We are thrilled to be allowed to play your composition !!!! We thank you very much for the honor of giving the German premiere of "Postcards from Prague". It's so wonderfully composed and the timbres are awesome! Dirk plays the 2nd / 4th / 6th postcards and I 1/3/5/7. We send each other the postcards. We will always include this into our programs! Thank you!!!!" [Manuela Uhlmann, Dortmund Philharmonic Orchestra]

"We had two successful mini concerts yesterday. "Postcards from Prague" was a huge success !!! Many visitors then talked to us about your composition and how they loved this work!" [Manuela Uhlmann]

"One if my students has taken a fancy to this David, he was quite overcome when i suggested he perform it at one if our concerts for the first time in Australia." [Diana Ford]

"Loving your postcards from Prague by the way. A student at Junior Guildhall was working on it the other day. Lovely piece!!!" [Lachlan Radford/Guildhall School of Music & Drama (JD), London

Postcards from Prague was composed in August 2015 and was recorded by the composer for Prime Facie Records on 1 September 2015. It is dedicated 'to the memories of Irena & Frantisek Posta' and the seven short movements/postcards reflect the composers memories of studying and visiting Prague from 1986, when the country was still under communist rule, to the present day. The suite can be performed complete, or any number of movements performed and in any order, with the option of repeating movements at the player's discretion. The aim is to create a work which is both flexible and approachable but also different at each performance.

Postcards from Prague is played pizzicato throughout and the composer suggests a range of pizzicato styles or techniques are employed to vary the colours and timbres of each movement. Prague is represented by the opening three notes (A-G-E) and Frantisek Posta (1919-1991), who was Principal Bass of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra for over 40 years, is depicted by the notes F-A-E-E flat. Each movement portrays a different memory or image of Prague and its beautiful architecture, history and culture.

David Heyes writes: "Postcard 1 depicts our first visit to Prague in 1986, when still under communist rule, and everything was different and new. It was an exciting time and both Prague and Professor Frantisek Posta are depicted. Postcard 2 has more confidence as we begin to explore the city and relax into the new pace of life. Postcard 3 depicts the Jewish cemetery, founded in 1478, and its history and heritage with a recurring bell-like figure. Postcard 4 is the liveliest of the pieces and reflects the thriving jazz scene in Prague, but lasts barely 20 seconds. Prague Castle is celebrated in Postcard 5 and a strong and imposiing melody is contrasted by gentler chords of reflection. The popularity of Prague today, especially the Old Town Square, attracts tourists from all over the world and a lively and bustling Postcard 6 is followed by a more solemn final postcard which reflects my passion and love for the city but also my sadness each time I leave."

Postcards from Prague was premiered by David Heyes on 6 September 2015 in Templecombe (Somerset) and received its German premiere in Dortmund by 'Basso alberi' (Manuela Ulhmann/Dieter Nolke) on 12 September 2015.

Postcards from Prague was recorded by the composer on a CD of the same name for PrimaFACIE records (PFCD040), released on 2 March 2016 and available on Amazon, itunes and spotify on 10 May 2016. Copies of the CD are available from doublebass@tiscali.co.uk

David Heyes studied double bass with Laurence Gray and Bronwen Naish and later at the Royal College of Music in London. He completed his post-graduate studies in Prague with Frantisek Posta (Principal Double Bass, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra). He has given recitals and masterclasses in 13 countries over the past few years and has been a juror at a number of international competitions, twice as chairman.

David has been Specialist Double Bass Tutor at Wells Cathedral School for 17 years and received a prestigious award from the David Walter Charitable Trust of New York for his pioneering activities as a soloist, teacher, publisher and commissioner of new music for double bass. He works with composers throughout the world and is particularly interested to expand the double bass repertoire, by commissioning new works and by rediscovering forgotten ones. Over the past 30 years he has commissioned more than 500 works, from beginner to virtuoso, and from one to twenty basses.

David has transcribed more than 200 works for double bass, many published by Recital Music, and in recent year has also composed a number of original works for double bass which have been successfully performed many times in Britain, America, Spain, Turkey, Germany and Czech Republic. David is self-taught as a composer and his choral music and works for double bass continue to be performed around the world.

http://ascrecords.com/primafacie/postcards_from_prague.html