PhDr. Václav Smetáček
Václav Smetáček, conductor, oboist, chorus master, musicologist, pedagogue and also composer and arranger. Born on 30th September 1906 in Brno, died on 18th February 1986 in Prague.
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The right side of this page highlights some important moments in his life in chronological order.
Below you can open and download both short and extended versions of his CV.
1905
Parents: Rudolf Smetáček (1878–1946) and Eleonora Smetáčková born Čížková (1879–1969);
Marriage: 18. 2. 1905, St. Gotthard Church, Slaný
1906
30. 9. Václav Alois August Smetáček
born in Brno, Údolní str. 32
(photo 1907)
1912
1912–17 elementary school in Brno - Husovice
1917
student of the "First Czech State High School in Brno"
1918
1918–1920 High School in Slaný
1921
1921–22; 1924–28 High School in Prague
1922
1922–1930 Prague State Conservatory
1926
and 1927 - Summer language courses in Bagneres de Bigorre, France. Beginning of the lifelong friendship with Antonín Svoboda, designer of the first Czech electronic computers SAPO (1957) and EPOS (1960). From 1964 he lived in the USA where he died on 18th May 1980.
1928
10. 2. 1928 - established the Prague Wind Quintet (PDK) and was the ensemble´s leading person until the end of it´s activity in 1956.
1st concert of the PDK (27. 3. 1928), Praha, Hlahol; J. B. Foerster: Wind Quintet op. 95
1928
leaving exam from the High School in Prague, Slovenská ulice
1928
1928–1933 Philosophical Faculty of the Charles University; studies of Musicology, Aesthetics and Philosophy
1928
12. 12. first registered concert as conductor; an amateur orchestra of Sokol Bubeneč; programme: L. van Beethoven, I. Zajc, B. Smetana, J. Strauss, J. Offenbach
1930
25. 6. graduation from the Prague Conservatory; oboe – Ladislav Skuhrovský (1922–30), composition – Jaroslav Křička (1928–30), conducting – Metod Doležil and Pavel Dědeček (1928–30); graduation composition: Wind Quintet
1930
to 1931 deputy 1st oboist of the Czech Philharmony
1931
to 1933 1st oboist of the Czech Philharmony (168 concerts and theatre performances)
1931
2. 5. to 4. 7. – Prague National Theatre Orchestra; as 1st or 2nd oboist he played 48 opera and ballet performances.
1932
6. 5. first concert with the Czech Philharmony as conductor (the last one on 13. 5. 1979 – altogether 89 concerts)
1933
16. 6. PhD Degree (doctoral thesis: Orchestration of the "Youth" by Smetana)
1934
1. 10. (to 1943) secretary of the Music Department, head of the Gramophone Division and conductor of the Czechoslovak Radio in Prague
1934
1. 10. (to 1939) 2nd chorus master of the Prague „Hlahol“ choir
1935
marriage with PhDr. Milada Lejsková (2. 7. 1908–22. 1. 1975);
art hisorian, worked in the State Institute for Preservation of the Historical Sites in Prague. Author of many works on regional history and description and preservation of monuments as well as esseys on musical themes (photo 1932)
1936
29. 11. birth of son Ivan (co-founder of the Traditional Jazz Studio), tuba and other wind instruments player
1936
25. 3. 1st concert with the Prague Symphony Orchestra (FOK); Exhibition Hall Mánes; programme: Vranický, Krása, Bořkovec, Bartoš, Martinů, Křejčí, Ježek - all PREMIERES
1937
30. 4. 1st concert with FOK in the Smetana Hall (later seat of the Prague Symphony); programme: Beethoven, Gounod, Voříšek, Smetana, Ostrčil, Kovařovic, Dvořák, Rossini
1937
Vivat Olympia March, composed for a competition on the ocasion of the Olympic Games in Helsinki
1938
1st conducting performance abroad – London
1939
Artistic Leader of the Prague "Hlahol" choir
1940
1. 1. (to 1946) appointed 1st chorus master of the Prague "Hlahol" choir
1940
4. 1.
born son Pavel, jazz clarinet and saxo player, founder and leader of the Traditional Jazz Studio, music publicist, Christian politician and diplomat; father of the percussionist Štěpán Smetáček
1942
13. 4. born daughter Helena (married Čižinská) PhD.; art historian, expert in preservation of monuments, author of works on monuments preservation and Beuron Art School
1942
12. 5. (to 1961) Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of the Prague Symphony Orchestra (FOK)
1943
to 1945 conductor and chief of the Film Orchestra (FYSIO)
1945
to 1972 – Prague Conservatory; oboe class and "Chamber Wind Harmony"; complementary "evening" studies of the military brass orchestras conductors
1946
Prague Academy of Music (AMU) – professor of "Chamber Wind Music Interpretation"
1948
5. 3. 1st guest conducting performance in Poland (Wroclaw, Kraków, Katowice, Lodź)
1948
2. 6. divorce with PhD. Milada Lejsková-Smetáčková
1948
14. 7.
marriage with Míla (Miloslava) Kočvarová (7. 5. 1928–7. 9. 2012);
1947–49 studied history of art and esthetics; after her husband´s decease she was active as publicist focussed on the music education; 1992–2007 chairwoman of the Czech Musical Society, from 2007 vice-chairwoman of the J. B. Foerster Society; co-operated with the Czech Radio. Author of a memoir book "Life with the Baton" (Život s taktovkou); (1st edition Universum 1991, 2nd edition, self published 2006) (photo 1948)
1950
4. 10. born daughter Vaclava
1951
45th birthday
1952
Prague Academy of Music (AMU) – external professor of "Orchestra Leading" and conductor of the AMU Chamber Orchestra
1955
26. 10. last performance with the Prague Wind Quintet (PDK); Czechoslovak Radio recording; programme: Petr Eben, "Krumlovské písničky" for wind quintet, female choir and piano; (1928 to 1955 more than 760 performances)
1957
1st FOK concert tour to the Western Europe – Italy, Austria
1959
concert season 1959/1960 – conductor and artistic director of the City Symphonic Orchestra in East Berlin (now Konzerthausorchester Berlin). V. S. was the first foreign chief of the orchestra founded in 1952.
1960
and 1961 – guest condutor of the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra
1960
4. 6. Iceland, Reykjavík, ICELAND PREMIERE – Smetana: The Bartered Bride with the soloists from the Prague National Theatre.
1960
10. 6. Iceland, Reykjavík; Verdi: Rigoletto; Niccolae Gedda, Stina Britta Melander;
1961
January to May; Japan; Tokyo Symphony Orchestra
1961
until March 1972 Chief Conductor of the Prague Symphony Orchestra (FOK)
1961
recording of A. Dvorak´s Stabat Mater, Deutsche Grammophon / Supraphon
1961
recording of Carl Orff´s Carmina Burana, Supraphon
1963
recording of A. Dvorak´s Saint Ludmila, Supraphon
1964
1. 12. Montreal, Place des Arts; premiere of Smetana´s Má vlast in Canada
1964
November, Milano - all 9 Beethoven´s symphonies with FOK
1964–71
recording of the complete of Beethoven´s Piano Concertos and Choral Phantasy; FOK, Jan Panenka; Supraphon
1965
New Zealand; N. Z. B. Symphony Orchestra; second time 1972
1965
12. 5. Prague Castle, Wladislaw Hall – Má vlast, Czech Philharmony – opening concert of the 20th Prague Spring Festival
1965
recording of Carl Orff´s Catulli Carmina, Supraphon
1965
30. 8. Buenos Aires, Teatro Colón, Orquesta Filarmonica de Buenos Aires – Latin-American premiere of Smetana´s Má vlast
1966
22. 12. Milano, Teatro alla Scala – Italian premiere of Janáček´s From the House of Dead
1966
recording of J. J. Ryba´s Czech Christmas Mass; My Lovely Nightingale-pastorella; Supraphon Golden Disc
1966
9. 5. Buenos Aires, Teatro Colón - 1st performance of Béla Bartók´s Bluebeard´s Castle and Miraculous Mandarin
1967
19. 5. Buenos Aires, Teatro Colón - 1st performance of Musorgsky´s Boris Godunov; Boris: Gerome Hines
1968
26. 4. Buenos Aires, Teatro Colón - Latin-American premiere of Shostakovich´s Katerina Izmajlova
1968
10. 5. Buenos Aires, Teatro Colón - Latin-American premiere of Janáček´s Katia Kabanova
1969
3. 10.–2. 11. concert tour of the Prague Symphony Orchestra (FOK) to the USA. Second conductor: Jindřich Rohan, soloists: Eva Bernáthová-piano, Josef Chuchro-cello
1969
recording of A. Dvorak´s Mass D major, Op. 86, Supraphon
1969
recording of Carl Orff´s Trionfo di Afrodite, Supraphon
1970
recording of A. Dvorak´s Biblical Songs, Op. 99, Nos. 1 - 5; Te Deum, op. 103, Supraphon
1972
1. 2. last concert as emploee of the Prague Symphony Orchestra – retirement
1972
last performance as oboist (with the jazz band of his sons Traditional Jazz Studio)
1973
November - December; Japan; Japan Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra
1974
Supraphon – member of the team preparing the "practical" edition of the score and parts of Má vlast; members of the team: Václav Neumann, Zdeněk Košler, Josef Plavec, Jarmil Burghauser, V. Smetáček (V. S.´s reviews are deposited in the National Archive)
1974
23. 11. during the concert in Florence, Italy, with Maggio Musicale Fiorentino Orchestra (Mahler: 10th Symphony) he was hit by a heart attack and the left side of his body became paralyzed. He finished conducting the symphony and directly from the concert hall was taken to the hospital where he stayed for 2 months.
1975
recording of Carl Orff´s: Veni creator spiritus; Der gute Mensch; Nänie und Dithyrambe; Vom Frühjahr, Oltank und vom Fliegen, Supraphon
1976
ewarded by title National Artist
1980
1st CZ DIGITAL RECORDING; Smetana: Má vlast, Česká filharmonie (Supraphon 1981); Golden CV Prize Nippon Columbia (1984).
1984
26. 5. St. Vitus Cathedral – Antonín Dvořák: Svatá Ludmila; Prague Spring Festival
1985
5. 12. LAST CONCERT; Zlín (the then Gottwaldov) – Bohuslav Martinů: Symphony No. 4, Luboš Fišer: Piano Concerto, Vítězslav Novák: Of the Eternal Longing, op. 33; Orchestr Filharmonie pracujících, František Maxián-piano
1986
† 18th February in Prague
