Ondra Kozák

My first instrument was the violin which I’d played before I learned to write. During my childhood, I was captivated by various kinds of acoustic music and I started playing also other instruments, mainly guitar, mandolin, and bass, later also dobro (resophonic guitar). I gained my first experiences as a player, singer, and songwriter with the bands Křeni and Petr Brandejs Band. Since 2010 I’ve been playing with several bands (G-runs ‘n Roses, East-West, Fragment, Jazzyk, Ondra Kozák & Ralph Schut, Lluís Gómez Bluegrass Quartet), performing solo or in various occasional line-ups. Currently, I make music mainly with my beloved band New Aliquot, and in a duo with Radim Zenkl (more about my music projects here).

I released my debut solo album Ataman in 2014 and a solo guitar album Overtones – 12 Songs • 12 Vintage Guitars in 2019. Besides that, I’ve been part of more than 30 studio recordings over the years. I feel grateful for being awarded The Guitar Player Of The Year 5-times according to the Czech Bluegrass Music Association, for winning the European BG band contest at the La Roche Bluegrass Festival 4-times (Křeni 2009, Blackjack 2011, East-West 2013, G-runs ‘n Roses 2016) and #1 European Bluegrass Band at European World Of Bluegrass (Blackjack 2009). I also enjoy online interest – my videos (music and tutorials) have over 1 million views on YouTube. However, the biggest reward for me is the chance to collaborate with so many talented musicians and perform alongside many eminent personalities of the music scene such as Mike Marshall, Dan Crary, Tony Furtado, Beppe Gambetta, Dale Ann Bradley, Steve Gulley, Cia Cherryholmes, Mike Compton, Radim Zenkl, etc.

Since 2004 I’ve been regularly teaching at several bluegrass camps and workshops in Europe – Adiaha’s Bluegrass Camp (Germany), Risør Bluegrass Festival and Strenger i Gress Bluegrassfestival (Norway), Barcelona Bluegrass Camp (Spain), Malé Svatoňovice (Czech Republic), Nový Jičín (Czech Republic), Hustopeče (Czech Republic), Nyiregyháza (Hungary), etc. In 2014 I launched the ATAmusic online workshop, under the heading of which I also organize several annual workshops of various focuses (all bluegrass instruments, vocals, band coaching). I’m an author and co-author of 4 instructional DVDs – 2 volumes of instructional DVDs for acoustic guitar (with Ralph Schut – 2008, 2016) and instructions for solo guitar (2011) and fiddle (2013). I also take part in various festival workshops – La Roche BG Festival (France), EWOB (Netherlands), Summergrass BG Festival (San Diego, CA, USA), OIBF (Guthrie, OK, USA), etc. Since 2007 I’ve been organizing instrument workshops at the oldest European bluegrass festival Banjo Jamboree in Čáslav (Czech Republic). Since 2018 I’ve been making the ATAmusic podcast – an audio blog for musicians (in Czech).

Besides playing and teaching music, I also work in my studio as an engineer and producer, making recordings of my projects or doing studio work for other musicians, bands, choirs, etc. Whenever my schedule allows I devote myself to my great hobby – photography.

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