Josef Režný

                                                          02 FEB 1924, Strakonice - 10 DEC 2012 Strakonice        

• The founder of International Bagpipe Festival in Strakonice.
• Czech piper, important personality of Czech ethnography.
• Positive attitude to folk music since childhood, playing violin, viola and contrabass, during study on Gymnasium Strakonice plays contrabass at the student orchestra, at the end of the year 1942 starts to play bass in Bagpipe Band of Strakonice.
• Took more jobs - worked as a teacher, officer and worker at Czech arms factory (CZ) in Strakonice.
• For a long time executive director of Municipal museum Volyně.
• Had many hobbies. After the WW2 choir leader of men's singing choir Palla CZ in Strakonice. But his interests in folk music and ethnography were the strongest.
• 1949 set up Ethnographical ensemble, aimed at folks dances. 1950 this group changes into Ensemble of folk songs and dances from Prachin and Josef Rezny became a group leader. We still have the group with this name till today.
• Became an expert in folk musical instruments, specialized in bagpipes. Long-time research and documentation of bagpipes and bagpipe music in Czech Republic and in Europe. Educated many musicians how to bagpipe.
• 1955 - 1961 co-founder and organizer of Southern Bohemian Festivities of songs and dances in Strakonice, later known as International Bagpipe Festival (IBF). In last years was a head of Program Committee of IBF.
• Collector's and ethnographical activities in Prachin Area - first of all around towns of Strakonice and Volyně. Has collected more than 1000 folk songs and 76 different dances. Made records and musical transcripts of bagpipe music. Has recorded dialects, sayings and folk customs.

Profile of Josef Režný  (in czech only)