Learned violin and viola at Musical School at Voršilská Street, Prague 1.
Played viola in various non-professional ensembles, with special interest in early music and Moravian folklore.
For many years he was active in the International Association of Amateur Chamber Music Players (ACMP).
Studied viola d’amore with František Slavík  and Jaroslav Horák.
Member of St.James Church Choir.
General memoirs | Musical memoirs [pdf documents]
Society member since 1992.

Favorite composers Karel Stamic, J. V. Stamic, Vivaldi, Casadesus, Hindemith, Willi Thelen, Jan Král.
Traditional and ethnical music within various instruments (and voice) combinations.
Adapting a musical composition for viola d'amore.

Graduated as an engineer from Czech Technical University in 1968.
Joined Tesla Electronic Works at Rožnov (North Moravia), working in development of electronic integrated circuits.
After 1990 he taught languages and technical subjects at secondary schools.
Retired as a gate-keeper, using his spare time to write articles and to translate poetry and music.

Several articles about Czech viola d’amore players.
Czech Viola d'amore Players in 20th Century, Viola d'amore Society of America Newsletter Nov. 2008.
Petzold Patita in A (US$5)

Slavík Compendium of the Viola d’amore
English translation of Compendium of the Viola d’amore by Fran Slavík. Private edition, Praha/Brno 1994. ~100 pages including music example and three Caprices by Fran Slavic. (Original in German, translated by Jan Matys in English and Czech). Available directly from Jan Matys.

Compositions
Four Etudes for viola d’amore.
Variations for viola d’amore and double-bass.
Prayer for the New Age for choir.

His solo-works can be heard on his demo-CD featuring:

Ing. Jan Matys
Sloup 20
CZ -25206 Davle
Czech Republic
cell/mobile 776 160 115

e-mail: damurist at centrum.cz