MgA. Petr Michálek was elected the new rector of the Janáček Academy of Music and Performing Arts at today’s meeting of the JAMU Academic Senate, and he will assume this highest academic position at the beginning of February 2022.
Chairman of the JAMU Academic Senate doc. Mgr. Roman Novozámský opened today’s meeting two hours before noon and welcomed the senators present and three candidates for the rector’s chair. All twelve senators were present, four of them remotely via the Internet, either due to the epidemic or for medical reasons. The Chairman stated that the Senate had a quorum. The whole meeting was translated into Czech sign language and broadcast online on YouTube, where the academic community and the public could submit their questions for the three candidates.
The candidates drew lots and presented their concepts in the following order. MgA Petr Michálek spoke first, followed by prof. Barbara Maria Willi, Ph.D. and finally by doc. MgA. Vít Spilka. In the first round of elections, prof. Barbara Maria Willi, Ph.D. received five valid votes, doc. MgA. Vít Spilka received one valid vote and MgA. Petr Michálek received six votes. The senators voted online via the JAMU information system.
The second round of elections was opened by a simultaneous debate of both candidates. Prof. Barbara Maria Willi, Ph.D. subsequently received five valid votes and MgA. Petr Michálek received seven votes. The Chairman of the JAMU Academic Senate doc. Mgr. Roman Novozámský then stated that MgA. Petr Michálek was elected rector in the second round. In his speech, the current director of the Zlín Municipal Theatre and the winning candidate of the JAMU rectoral election recalled three key teachers and personalities he met during his studies at the Brno Academy: professors Bořivoj Srba, Eva Stehlíková and Miroslav Plešák. “I want to be the rector of communication. I am not a fan of starting over and over again. I believe in continuity. I know how to ask questions and I can connect people,” Michálek remarked in his speech, among other things. His term of office will be four years. Michálek, 44, studied theatre dramaturgy and pursued acting and directing. He has been the director of the Zlín Theatre since 2010. He was also involved in regional politics through the Mayors and Independents party.
Mgr. Luboš Mareček, Ph.D.