Piano Day Prague: Otto A. Totland [NO]
Mazoch&Libánský [CZ]
Piano Day in the Mirror Chapel of Klementinum with minimalism by Otto A. Totland
Piano Day has become an integral part of the Spectaculare festival tradition. This year's edition will take place on March 28 in the unique space of the Mirror Chapel of Prague's Klementinum, where Norwegian composer Otto Andreas Totland and Czech duo Mazoch/Libanský will present their piano compositions.
Otto A. Totland started out with computer music, but soon switched to the piano. He remained self-taught, which is reflected in his distinctive style of playing and composition. He is inspired by Norwegian folk music, Romantic composers, and Scandinavian jazz. His minimalist, melancholic, and meditative compositions transport listeners from the cacophony of the modern world to the tranquility of a deserted cabin in the middle of the Norwegian countryside.
Totland first made a name for himself as a member of the duo Deaf Center, which he formed with Erik Skodvin (aka Svarte Greiner). Totland's introspective piano is complemented by the dark electronic textures of his bandmate. In 2025, the duo released their comeback album Reverie. Totland was also half of the Nest project, and his solo work is based primarily on the deeply personal trilogy of albums Pinô, The Lost, and Companion, released on the Sonic Pieces label. His latest recording Exin (2024), produced under the supervision of Nils Frahm at the Funkhaus studio in Berlin, represents a new direction and a collection of musical miniatures.
Prague musicians Petr Mazoch and Jiří Libánský combine piano, a sense of imagination, and natural improvisation. Their joint sets create soundscapes in which joy, drama, and melancholy intertwine against a backdrop of ambient and rhythmic structures. Mazoch is known for his solo work, while Libánský has collaborated with a number of Czech artists (Aid Kid, Děti mezi reprákama, Bratři Orffové, Floex). Together, they released a recording of their improvised set Session SH01 in 2024.
On March 28, Mazoch & Libánský, together with Otto A. Totland, will celebrate Piano Day in the Mirror Chapel of Klementinum – a day that falls on the 88th day of the year, symbolically dedicated to the 88 keys of the piano. The tradition was established in 2015 by pianist and composer Nils Frahm with the aim of promoting the piano as an inspirational musical instrument.
