Programme notes:

Tereza Jaďuďová (b. 2001)
The Bus Stop (Adventure), Op. 16
Written in 2015

Music for a School Play

This early orchestral suite by Tereza Jaďuďová was written at the age of 14 as a commission for a school English theatre production. The play’s concept revolved around a bus stop and a magical library that transported readers into the worlds of books. With only a few production notes and a general theme of adventure, the composer created seven short pieces: one jingle, three mini-scenes, and three full-length scenes. The result—unexpectedly vivid and musically rich—demonstrates Jaďuďová’s early talent for storytelling through sound.

Jingle
A brief musical tag (15 seconds) based on a theme from Jaďuďová’s earlier Suite for Piano. It serves as a unifying reminder of her creative roots and was arranged here for orchestra.

Mini-Scene I – “Hectic”
A short, dissonant piece illustrating the frustration of a character who misses the bus. The music, full of agitation and irregular gestures, reflects internal chaos that gives way to discovery—of a book and a new world.

Scene I – Lord of the Flies
The first full scene composed, and the piece that sparked the entire opus. Built around a medieval-sounding theme, the music captures the rawness, brutality, and occasional glimpses of humanity among the stranded boys. Stark and atmospheric.

Mini-Scene II – “Romance”
A gentle interlude portraying a romantic moment between two people at the bus stop. Inspired by Schubert’s Trout Quintet, this music is lyrical and tender, floating on a simple but charming melody.

Scene II – Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Although the composer hadn’t seen the film, she drew inspiration from its fantastical premise. The main theme is based on Albinoni’s Adagio, lending a dreamlike, bittersweet tone to the scene. Less structurally developed, but rich in mood and imagination.

Mini-Scene III – “The Phone Girl” (never staged)
In this imagined scene, a girl absorbed in her phone loses interest and picks up a book instead. The playful theme and sudden „book slam“ at the end musically narrate her shift from digital to literary exploration.

Scene III – Tom Sawyer (never staged)
A lively, episodic movement with bright thematic material. It opens with a decisive gesture, transitions through singing melodies, and cleverly revisits material from Scene I—but now in a different key. The ending fades rather than concludes, suggesting the story is far from over.

Though the last two movements were not included in the staged play due to time constraints, the suite as a whole reveals a young composer’s rich imagination and instinct for orchestral color.