Prague Conservatory
Encyclopedia
Prague Conservatory, sometimes also Prague Conservatoire, in Czech
Pražská konzervatoř, is a Czech
secondary school in Prague
dedicated to teaching the arts of music
and theater acting.
including accordion
, guitar
, piano
, and organ
, as well as in singing
, composing
, conducting
, and acting
. The studies take 6 years. The curriculum includes specialized theoretical studies, language education as well as general education. The institution has its own symphonic and chamber orchestras, several chamber music ensembles, and a theater company. About 250 concerts and 40 dramatic performances are held annually.
In the academic year of 2005/2006, approximately 550 Czech and 40 foreign students studied at the Conservatory.
. Bedřich Diviš Weber
was appointed the first director of the school.
In 1891, Antonín Dvořák
joined the faculty as the head of the composition department. He was the school's director between 1901 and 1904. Dvořák's students included the composers Vítězslav Novák
, Josef Suk
(later served as director of the Conservatory), Rudolf Friml
, Oskar Nedbal
, and Franz Lehár
.
The list of professors who taught at the school includes also later school's director pianist Vilém Kurz
.
Following the creation of Czechoslovakia
in 1918, drama and ballet
departments were established. Among others, Lída Baarová
(drop-out), Jiří Langmajer, Tatiana Vilhelmová
(drop-out), Filip Blažek, and Zuzana Vejvodová
studied there. Katya Zvelebilova began classical ballet
training at the conservatoire before joining the Royal Ballet School
in London
, where she is now a member of the Artistic Staff having retired from professional ballet.
Czech language
Czech is a West Slavic language with about 12 million native speakers; it is the majority language in the Czech Republic and spoken by Czechs worldwide. The language was known as Bohemian in English until the late 19th century...
Pražská konzervatoř, is a Czech
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
secondary school in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
dedicated to teaching the arts of music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
and theater acting.
Instruction
Prague Conservatory offers instruction in playing several instrumentsMusical instrument
A musical instrument is a device created or adapted for the purpose of making musical sounds. In principle, any object that produces sound can serve as a musical instrument—it is through purpose that the object becomes a musical instrument. The history of musical instruments dates back to the...
including accordion
Accordion
The accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
, guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, and organ
Organ (music)
The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
, as well as in singing
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, composing
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, conducting
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
, and acting
Acting
Acting is the work of an actor or actress, which is a person in theatre, television, film, or any other storytelling medium who tells the story by portraying a character and, usually, speaking or singing the written text or play....
. The studies take 6 years. The curriculum includes specialized theoretical studies, language education as well as general education. The institution has its own symphonic and chamber orchestras, several chamber music ensembles, and a theater company. About 250 concerts and 40 dramatic performances are held annually.
In the academic year of 2005/2006, approximately 550 Czech and 40 foreign students studied at the Conservatory.
History
The Prague Conservatoire was founded in 1808 by local aristocrats and burghers. Classes first started in 1811, after a delay caused by Napoleonic WarsNapoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
. Bedřich Diviš Weber
Bedrich Diviš Weber
Bedřich Diviš Weber , also known by the German form of his name, Friedrich Dionys Weber, was a Bohemian composer and musicologist primarily remembered as the first Director of the Prague Conservatory, in whose foundation he played a leading role.Weber studied philosophy and law in Prague...
was appointed the first director of the school.
In 1891, Antonín Dvořák
Antonín Dvorák
Antonín Leopold Dvořák was a Czech composer of late Romantic music, who employed the idioms of the folk music of Moravia and his native Bohemia. Dvořák’s own style is sometimes called "romantic-classicist synthesis". His works include symphonic, choral and chamber music, concerti, operas and many...
joined the faculty as the head of the composition department. He was the school's director between 1901 and 1904. Dvořák's students included the composers Vítězslav Novák
Vítezslav Novák
Vítězslav Novák was one of the most well-respected Czech composers and pedagogues, almost singlehandedly founding a mid-century Czech school of composition...
, Josef Suk
Josef Suk (composer)
Josef Suk was a Czech composer and violinist.- Life :Suk was born in Křečovice. He studied at Prague Conservatory from 1885 to 1892, where he was a pupil of Antonín Dvořák and Antonín Bennewitz. In 1898, he married Dvořák's eldest daughter, Otilie Dvořáková , affectionately known as Otilka...
(later served as director of the Conservatory), Rudolf Friml
Rudolf Friml
Rudolf Friml was a composer of operettas, musicals, songs and piano pieces, as well as a pianist. After musical training and a brief performing career in his native Prague, Friml moved to the United States, where he became a composer...
, Oskar Nedbal
Oskar Nedbal
Oskar Nedbal was a Czech violist, composer, and conductor of classical music.-Life:Nedbal was born in Tábor, in southern Bohemia. He studied the violin at the Prague Conservatory under Antonín Bennewitz...
, and Franz Lehár
Franz Lehár
Franz Lehár was an Austrian-Hungarian composer. He is mainly known for his operettas of which the most successful and best known is The Merry Widow .-Biography:...
.
The list of professors who taught at the school includes also later school's director pianist Vilém Kurz
Vilém Kurz
Vilém Kurz was a Czech pianist and piano teacher, a professor at the State Conservatory in Lwów and Vienna, and Prague Conservatory...
.
Following the creation of Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
in 1918, drama and ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
departments were established. Among others, Lída Baarová
Lída Baarová
Lída Baarová was a Czech actress and mistress of Joseph Goebbels, Hitler's propaganda minister.-Biography:...
(drop-out), Jiří Langmajer, Tatiana Vilhelmová
Tatiana Vilhelmová
Tatiana Čecháková-Vilhelmová is a Czech actress.She is 5 ft 3 in tall. As a kid she took lessons in ballet for 9 years, she was a member of well-renowned Kühn's Children Choir...
(drop-out), Filip Blažek, and Zuzana Vejvodová
Zuzana Vejvodová
Zuzana Vejvodová is a Czech actress.In 2000 she graduated from Prague Conservatory. Afterwards she joined Divadlo Na Fidlovačce . She regularly performs in TV films and series. In April 2008 she was shortlisted for TýTý Award, an annual Czech television award, in one of the categories...
studied there. Katya Zvelebilova began classical ballet
Classical ballet
Classical Ballet is the most formal of the ballet styles, it adheres to traditional ballet technique. There are variations relating to area of origin, such as Russian ballet, French ballet, British ballet and Italian ballet...
training at the conservatoire before joining the Royal Ballet School
Royal Ballet School
The Royal Ballet School is one of the most famous classical ballet schools in the world and is the associate school of the Royal Ballet, a leading international ballet company based at the Royal Opera House in London...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, where she is now a member of the Artistic Staff having retired from professional ballet.
Notable alumni
- Karel AnčerlKarel AncerlKarel Ančerl , was a Czech conductor, known for his performances of contemporary music and for his interpretations of music by Czech composers...
- Jiří BělohlávekJirí BelohlávekJiří Bělohlávek is a Czech conductor. His father was a barrister and judge. In his youth Bělohlávek studied cello with Miloš Sádlo and was later a graduate of the Prague Conservatory and the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague...
- František BrikciusFrantišek BrikciusFrantišek Brikcius is a Czech cellist.-Life:František Brikcius was born in Prague, into a family with a distinguished cultural background. From early childhood he began to play the cello and quickly developed into a competent student...
- František BrožFrantišek BrožFrantišek Brož was a Czech violist, composer, conductor and music educator.-Biography:Brož studied violin at the Prague Conservatory with Jindřich Baštař. He later studied composition with Josef Bohuslav Foerster and Vítězslav Novák, and conducting under Otakar Ostrčil and Václav Talich...
- Andrea ČernáAndrea ČernáAndrea Černá is a Czech theatrical and television actress, born 13 February 1977 in Karlovy Vary. Her surname is pronounced czer-na:. She studied at the Prague Conservatory. - Filmography :*Pátá žena *10 způsobů...
- Ladislav ČernýLadislav ČernýLadislav Černý was a Czech violist and teacher.- Biography :Černý studied violin at the Prague Conservatory with Ferdinand Lachner and Jindřich Bastař, and chamber music with František Spilka...
- Ludmila ČervinkováLudmila ČervinkováLudmila Červinková was a Czech operatic soprano who had a celebrated international career during the 1930s through the 1960s. She notably had a long and fruitful association with the National Theatre in Prague from 1942 until 1966...
- Radim DrejslRadim DrejslRadim Drejsl was a Czech composer, pianist and conductor. He is considered an important composer of politically engaged songs promoting visions of Czechoslovak communist regime in the 1950s. Drejsl applied the ideas of socialist realism in his music.- Biography :Drejsl was born in Dobruška...
- Jan HřímalýJan HřímalýJan Hřímalý Jan Hřímalý Jan Hřímalý (also seen as Ivan Voitsekhovich Grzhimali (Иван Войцехович Гржимали (13 April 1844 – 11/24 January 1915) was an influential Czech violinist and teacher, who was associated with the Moscow Conservatory for 46 years 1869-1915....
- Kateřina JalovcováKateřina JalovcováKateřina Jalovcová is a Czech operatic mezzo-soprano who has had an active international career since 2004. She is currently a principal singer at the National Theatre in Prague.-Career:...
- Jaroslav JežekJaroslav JežekJaroslav Ježek was a Czech composer, pianist and conductor, author of jazz, classical, incidental and film music.- Life :...
- Jana JonášováJana JonášováJana Jonášová is a Czech opera singer. One of the most important Czech coloratura sopranos of her generation, she has had an active international career at the world's major opera houses and concert stages for roughly four decades. As an opera singer she performed a varied repertoire from a...
- Naděžda KniplováNaděžda KniplováNaděžda Kniplová is a Czech operatic soprano who had an active international career from the 1950s through the 1980s. Kniplová possessed a large voice with a sonorous, metallic, dark timbre that was particularly well suited to the dramatic soprano repertoire...
- Jan KubelíkJan KubelíkJan Kubelík was a Czech violinist and composer.-Biography:He was born in Michle . His father, a gardener by occupation, was an amateur violinist. He taught his two sons the violin and after discovering the talent of Jan, who was aged five at the time, arranged for him to study with Karel Weber and...
- Rafael KubelíkRafael KubelíkRafael Jeroným Kubelík was a Czech conductor and composer.-Early life:Kubelík was born in Býchory, Bohemia, Austria-Hungary, today's Czech Republic. He was the sixth child of the Bohemian violinist Jan Kubelík, whom the younger Kubelík described as "a kind of god to me." His mother was a Hungarian...
- Otomar KvěchOtomar Kvěch-Biography:Kvěch was born in Prague, Czechoslovakia. His father was a sound engineer with Czechoslovak Radio, and later held technical jobs in various industrial companies. Kvěch's mother was shop-assistant.In 1955 he had his first lessons in piano...
- Bohuslav MartinůBohuslav MartinuBohuslav Martinů was a prolific Czech composer of modern classical music. He was of Czech and Rumanian ancestry. Martinů wrote six symphonies, 15 operas, 14 ballet scores and a large body of orchestral, chamber, vocal and instrumental works. Martinů became a violinist in the Czech Philharmonic...
- Václav NeumannVáclav NeumannVáclav Neumann was a Czech conductor, violinist and viola player.Neumann was born in Prague where he studied at the Prague Conservatory, with Josef Micka , and with Pavel Dědeček and Metod Doležil . He co-founded, and played 1st violin in, the Smetana Quartet, before holding conducting posts in...
- Vítězslav NovákVítezslav NovákVítězslav Novák was one of the most well-respected Czech composers and pedagogues, almost singlehandedly founding a mid-century Czech school of composition...
- Jana ObrovskáJana Obrovská-Biography:Jana Obrovská was born in Prague, the daughter of painter and sculptor Jakub Obrovský. Her early studies were piano with B. Kabeláčová-Rixová and theory with Jaroslav Řídký. At the Prague Conservatory she studied with M. Krejčí and Emil Hlobil from 1949-55. She won a prize in the 1972...
- Otakar ŠevčíkOtakar ŠevcíkOtakar Ševčík was a Czech violinist and influential teacher. He was known as a soloist and an ensemble player, including his occasional performances with Eugène Ysaÿe.-Biography:...
- Franz SimandlFranz SimandlFranz Simandl was a double-bassist and pedagogue most remembered for his book New Method for the Double Bass, known as the Simandl book, which is to this day used as a standard study of double bass technique and hand positions.His approach uses the first, second, and fourth fingers of the left...
- Václav SmetáčekVáclav SmetácekVáclav Smetáček was a Czech conductor, composer, and oboist.He studied in Prague among others with Jaroslav Křička, conducting with Metod Doležil and Pavel Dědeček, musicology, aesthetics, and philosophy at Charles University...
- Eugen SuchoňEugen SuchonEugen Suchoň was one of the greatest Slovak composers of the 20th century.-Early life:...
- Jana SýkorováJana SýkorováJana Sýkorová is a Czech operatic contralto. She has been a leading soloist with the Prague State Opera since 1999. Since 2002 she has been a permanent guest at the National Theatre in Prague and was made a permanent guest at the National Theatre in Brno in 2006.-Biography:Born in Karlovy Vary,...
- Jan TalichJan TalichJan Talich, Jr. is Czech violinist and conductor.Jan Talich studied at the Prague Conservatory and later at the Prague Academy of Music under Václav Snítil. He received scholarships to further his education in both the USA with Shmuel Ashkenasi and then with Yfrah Neaman at the Guildhall School of...
- Václav TalichVáclav TalichVáclav Talich was a Czech conductor, violinist and pedagogue.- Life :Born in Kroměříž, Moravia, he started his musical career in a student orchestra in Klatovy. From 1897 to 1903 he studied at the conservatory in Prague with Otakar Ševčík...
- Jiří TancibudekJiří TancibudekJiří Tancibudek AM was a Czech-born Australian oboist, conductor and teacher of great renown in his adopted country and elsewhere. His obituary in the Adelaide Review, titled "Prince of the oboe", said of his playing:-Biography:...
- Manoah Leide-TedescoManoah Leide-TedescoManoah Leide-Tedesco was an Italian-American composer, conductor and violinist.- Biography :Tranquillo Manoah Leide-Tedesco was born in Sinigaglia, Italy, but grew up in Naples...
- Vaclav VacaVaclav VacaVaclav Vaca is a surrealist artist from the Czech Republic who was born in 1948.-Childhood - 1948-1968:Vaclav Vaca was born in 1948 in Czechoslovakia . From 1963 to 1968 he studied at the Prague Conservatory. Vaca began his artistic career as a ballet dancer and musician...
- Tomáš VíšekTomáš VíšekTomáš Víšek is Czech Pianist.-Life:Czech pianist Tomáš Víšek started to play the piano at eight years of age at the musical school under professor Pavel Svoboda. During the years of 1972-1976 studied at the Prague Conservatory under professor Valentina Kamenikova and then later under professor...
- Sláva VorlováSláva VorlováSláva Vorlová was a Czech composer. She also used the pseudonym Mira Kord.-Biography:Slava Vorlova, née Miroslava Johnová, was born in Náchod...
- Pavla VykopalováPavla VykopalováPavla Vykopalová is a Czech soprano.-Life:Vykopalová studied singing at the Prague Conservatory and graduated in 1993; she then became a member of the Prague Philharmonic Choir. She began her soloist career as a mezzo-soprano receiving singing lessons from Lenka Šmídová und since 1997 from Jiří...
Notable faculty
- František BrožFrantišek BrožFrantišek Brož was a Czech violist, composer, conductor and music educator.-Biography:Brož studied violin at the Prague Conservatory with Jindřich Baštař. He later studied composition with Josef Bohuslav Foerster and Vítězslav Novák, and conducting under Otakar Ostrčil and Václav Talich...
- Ladislav ČernýLadislav ČernýLadislav Černý was a Czech violist and teacher.- Biography :Černý studied violin at the Prague Conservatory with Ferdinand Lachner and Jindřich Bastař, and chamber music with František Spilka...
- Kateřina EmingerováKateřina EmingerováCatherine Emingerová was a Czech composer, pianist, and music educator. She was also a prolific music writer and journalist, producing numerous books, essays, reviews and articles on music.-Biography:...
- Emil HlobilEmil HlobilEmil Hlobil was a twentieth century Czechoslovakian composer and music professor based in Prague.-Biography:Hlobil was born in Veselí nad Lužnicí, but lived most of his life in Prague...
- Valentina KameníkováValentina KameníkováValentina Kameníková nee Valentine Mikhaylovna Wax was a Czech pianist and Ukrainian music teacher, respectively. She came from a musical family...