Jiří Stivín is a Czech flutist, saxophonist, and composer who was born in Prague, Czechoslovakia, in 1942. He is famous for his mastery of woodwind instruments and for an extensive musical output that bridges jazz, classical, and Baroque periods. Stivín studied at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague and the Royal Academy of Music in London. He achieved early professional recognition as a member of the beat ensemble Sputnici and later co-founded the group Jazz Q. Throughout his career, he has collaborated with musicians including Rudolf Dašek, Zbigniew Seifert, and Pierre Favre. His discography includes the studio recordings Coniunctio (1970), Zvěrokruh (1977), and Výlety (1981). Stivín has also composed music for films including “Ich will nichts hören” (1978) and “Martha und ich” (1990). For his contributions to culture, he received the Medal of Merit in 2007.
