KOVAŘÍČEK, FRANTIŠEK (1924-2003)

Kovaříček was forced to work and after completion of the classical grammar school in Hradec Králové in 1943. During this period were his first compositional attempts, and he took private lessons with Karel Boleslav Jirák. From 1945 to 1949 he studied at the Prague Conservatory composition with Emil Hlobil. Until 1952 he continued his studies at the Music Academy in Jaroslav Řídký continued. His thesis was a Ouvertüre for large orchestra. Parallel to this he studied eight semesters at the Charles University.

 

From 1953 to 1957 he was music director of the Czech Radio in Prague, after that he was a freelance composer. From 1966 to 1985 he taught composition, counterpoint and instrumentation at the Prague Conservatory. His students included, among others, the composer Michal Novenko, Otomar Kvěch, Olga Ježková and Martin Smolka and the conductor Bohumil Kulinsky, Tomáš Hála and Miriam Němcová. He also served from 1971 to 1994 as Chairman and thereafter Honorary Chairman of the Musical Youth (Hudební Mládež) of the Czech Republic, for which he and his wife Hana Klimtová did summer camps, music competitions, a music festival and youth programs organized in broadcasting.

 

In addition to orchestral works and chamber music Kovaříček wrote the opera Ukradený Měsíc, for which he was awarded in 1968 for the 50th anniversary of the Czech Republic with a first prize. The work was first performed in the Czech Radio in 1971 and presented in 1985 in the television series Česká soudobá hudba.