KRČEK, JAROSLAV (b. 1939)

Jaroslav Krček (born 22 April, 1939) is a Czech radio producer, conductor, inventor of musical instruments and composer of classical and folk music. Jaroslav Krček was born in Čtyři Dvory near Ceské Budějovice in southern Bohemia. He studied at the B. Jeremiás School of Music in Ceské Buděovice before studying composition with Miloslav Kabelác and conducting with Bohumír Liška, both at Prague Conservatory. Krček was the musical director for Plzeň Radio and the music editor for the recording company Supraphon. He is the artistic leader and performer in the folklore group Chorea Bohemica (founded 1967), for which he has composed and adapted a number of songs and dances.

Musica Bohemica, a chamber ensemble specialising in Czech (Bohemian) Christmas songs, was created in 1975 by Krček as an offspring of Chorea Bohemica. Some of Krcek's music is inspired by early Czech music, medieval and Renaissance songs, 16th century hymn books and baroque music. Also interested in folk music of the 18th and 19th centuries, Krček has arranged several hundred folk songs and folk dances. He has done extensive and systematic individual, creative work in the realisation of folklore and anonymous musical works. Krček has recorded more than fifty albums of his own compositions and folk songs.