Antonín Dvořák

„… and despite acquiring some degree of renown in the world of music, I will remain just what I have been – a simple Czech musician.“

Antonín Dvořák (1841–1904), the son of a butcher and innkeeper from the small village Nelahozeves, has become one of the most well-known Czech composers. He travelled to England nine times, where he conducted his works. He rose to fame with his three-year tenure as the director of the National Conservatory of Music in New York. His marriage with Anna Čermáková brought him nine children, six of which reached adulthood. A happy familial environment, a strong work ethic and contracts with the greatest European publishing houses enabled the composer to create more than 200 compositions during his lifetime, many of which have become part of regular repertoire for world-class orchestras and renowned artists.