Petr Vašek, originally from Brno, began playing the clarinet at the age of nine. He received his early musical training from Břetislav Winkler. Petr quickly stood out as a remarkable talent, winning two national competitions in solo and chamber music.
He studied at the Prague Conservatory under Milan Polák, then earned his bachelor’s degree at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (HAMU). Later, he pursued his master’s and soloist diplomas at the Conservatorio della Svizzera Italiana in Lugano, under Milan Řeřicha. His studies concluded with a solo performance with the Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana.
During his studies, Petr won many awards. These include 1st prize at the International Competition in Carlino, 1st prize at the International Clarinet Competition in Hořice, and 2nd prize at the Leoš Janáček International Music Competition in Brno.
As a soloist, he has performed with top orchestras, including the Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana, Hradec Králové Philharmonic, South Bohemian Philharmonic, and F. X. Šalda Theatre Orchestra in Liberec.
While still a student, Petr focused deeply on orchestral playing. A major milestone came in 2012 when he was accepted into the Verbier Festival Orchestra (VFO), one of the world’s top youth orchestras. He played with the VFO for three years, working with conductors like Valery Gergiev, Charles Dutoit, Manfred Honeck, and Klaus Mäkelä.
In 2017, he joined the Verbier Chamber Festival Orchestra (VFCO), led by Gábor Takács-Nagy and composed of elite VFO musicians. Petr performs with the VFCO each year at the Verbier Festival. He has toured internationally, including the Tsinandali Festival in Georgia (2019), the VFCO Winter Tour across Europe (2021), China (April 2024), and South Korea (April 2025).
Petr also co-founded a wind ensemble made up of South Bohemian Philharmonic musicians. With them, he performed at the 2024 Olympic Games. The group appears regularly at the Czech Music Centre in Paris, promoting Czech music and building cultural ties with French audiences.
From 2015 to 2017, Petr worked with the Malaysia Philharmonic Orchestra in Kuala Lumpur. Since returning to the Czech Republic, he has been principal clarinetist of the South Bohemian Philharmonic. Since 2016, he has also taught at the Conservatory in České Budějovice.
In 2025, Petr Vašek became an artist for Sax Clinic’s SCV ligatures. He uses Sonus Divinus, Tonus Mundi, and M-Touch ligatures.