Lubomír Pleva

Lubomír Pleva (born July 31, 1929 in Grygov , † August 1, 1998 in Přerov ) was a Czech harmonica player and five-time world harmonica champion. His repertoire ranged from classical music to blues and jazz to folk music.

Life

In his youth he was active in sports and was a Czechoslovak youth champion in javelin throw. Pleva studied at the Philosophical Faculty of the Palacký University in Olomouc . Later he worked as a professor at a middle school in Přerov. Musically, Pleva acted as the prímás of a cymbal band and, above all, as a soloist as a harmonica player. He was also the co-author of a textbook for music.

Pleva has worked on numerous film scores since 1957. As a soloist he played in the radio orchestras in Ostrava, at the Studio Brno, in the orchestras of Gustav Brom , Václav Hybš , Karel Vlach and with the dance orchestra of the Czechoslovak Radio TOČR .

He was crowned winner of the world championships in harmonica playing in Eindhoven in 1971 , in Ypres in 1973 and in Offenburg in 1975 . He also received this title in 1974, although the competition was not held publicly, but was decided on the basis of tape recordings. During his 1974 tour of Canada, Pleva made 182 appearances in Montreal, Toronto, Quebec and Ottawa. In 1980 another important appearance followed with the orchestra Ladislav Štaidl at the gala concert of Czechoslovak TV in the Monaco sports club . In 1991, after his legendary appearance at the gala concert in Detroit, he was once again awarded the previously unassigned world title. Shortly before his death, Pleva recorded a few more titles with the Academic Jazz Band . He died before the anniversary CD Přerovské nocturno was released.

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personal data
SURNAME	Pleva, Lubomír
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Czech harmonica player
DATE OF BIRTH	July 31, 1929
PLACE OF BIRTH	Grygov
DATE OF DEATH	August 1, 1998
Place of death	Přerov