In the Czech Republic and abroad, the years ending in “4” are considered the “years of Czech music.” The great Czech composers Bedřich Smetana, Antonín Dvořák, Leoš Janáček, and Josef Suk, as well as other musical personalities from times past or not so distant, were born or died in the “4” years. janury Kryštof Harant of Polžice and Bezdružice – 460th anniversary of his birth (1564 – exact date unknown – 21 June 1621), Czech Renaissance composer Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra Ostrava – 70th anniversary of its founding (1954) Josef Suk – 150th anniversary of his birth (4 January 1874 – 29 May 1935), composer, violinist, and teacher, member of the Czech Quartet Jan Rychlík – 60th anniversary of his death (27 April 1916 – 20 January 1964), composer Eva Olmerová – 90th anniversary of her birth (21 January 1934 – 10 August 1993), pop and jazz singer Theodor Schaefer – 120th anniversary of his birth (23 January 1904 – 19 March 1969), composer and teacher František Ignác Tůma – 250th anniversary of his death (October 2, 1704 – January 30, 1774), composer spanning the transition from Baroque to Classicism bebruary Jarmila Novotná – 30th anniversary of her death (23 September 1907 – 9 February 1994), opera singer Antonín Švorc – 90th anniversary of his birth (12 February 1934 – 21 February 2011), opera singer-baritone Jiří Šlitr – 100th anniversary of his birth (15 February 1924 – 26 December 1969), composer, pianist, singer and actor, member of a duo with J. Suchy František Václav Míča – 280th anniversary of his death (5 September 1694 – 15 February 1744), post-Baroque composer, author of the first opera sung in Czech Bohuslav Matěj Černohorský – 340th anniversary of his birth (16 February 1684 – 1 July 1742), composer, priest, organist, representative of Czech Baroque music march Mirko Očadlík – 120th anniversary of his birth (1 March 1904 – 26 June 1964), music scientist, critic, teacher Bedřich Smetana – 200th anniversary of his birth (2 March 1824 – 12 May 1884), Romantic period composer Karel Kryl – 30th anniversary of his death (12 April 1944 – 3 March 1994), singer-songwriter and poet Jiří Kalach – 90th anniversary of his birth (9 March 1934 – 20 April 2008), composer Jan Kapr – 110th anniversary of his birth (12 March 1914 – 29 April 1988) composer and music director Sláva Vorlová – 130th anniversary of her birth (15 March 1894 – 24 August 1973), composer Rudolf Piskáček – 140th anniversary of his birth (15 March 1884 – 24 December 1940), composer – founder of Czech folk operetta Oskar Nedbal – 150th anniversary of his birth (26 March 1874 – 24 December 1930) composer, conductor, and violist april Karel Kryl – 80th anniversary of his birth (12 April 1944 – 3 March 1994), singer-songwriter, poet Václav Jan Křtitel Tomášek – 250th anniversary of his birth (17 April 1774 – 3 April 1850), composer and teacher during the National Revival (18th-19th centuries) Karel Weis – 80th anniversary of his death (13 February 1862 – 4 April 1944) composer, collector of folk songs, and folklorist Jan Klusák – 90th anniversary of his birth (18 April 1934), contemporary composer may Antonín Dvořák – 120th anniversary of his death (8 September 1841 – 1 May 1904) composer, founder of Czech national music – one of the most important composers of all time Vilém Blodek – 150th anniversary of his death (3 October 1834 – 1 May 1874), Romantic period composer František Lýsek – 120th anniversary of his birth (2 May 1904 – 16 January 1977), creator of Czech children’s choral singing, folklorist, and teacher Bedřich Smetana – 140th anniversary of his death (2 March 1824 – 12 May 1884), Romantic period composer Petr Hapka – 80th anniversary of his birth (13 May 1944 – 25 November 2014) musician, composer of popular and film music, singer, conductor František Kovaříček – 100th anniversary of his birth (17 May 1924 – 7 January 2003), contemporary composer Milada Šubrtová – 100th anniversary of her birth (24 May 1924 – 1 August 2011), opera singer-soprano june Tereza Stolzová – 190th anniversary of her birth (2 June 1834 – 22 August 1902), opera singer Mirko Očadlík – 60th anniversary of his death (1 March 1904 – 26 June 1964), musicologist, critic, teacher Erwin Schulhoff – 130th anniversary of his birth (8 June 1894 – 18 August 1942), composer and pianist of German-Jewish origin. Pavel Bořkovec – 130th anniversary of his birth (10 June 1894 – 22 July 1972), composer and teacher Emil František Burian – 120th anniversary of his birth (11 June 1904 – 9 August 1959), composer, conductor, representative of the Czech musical avant-garde Rafael Kubelík – 110th anniversary of his birth (29 June 1914 – 11 August 1996), composer and world-famous conductor july Leoš Janáček – 170th anniversary of his birth (3 July 1854 – 12 August 1928), world-renowned composer of classical music Vlastimil Hála – 100th anniversary of his birth (7 July 1924 – 29 July 1985), trumpeter, composer, music arranger Otakar Zich – 90th anniversary of his death (25 March 1879 – 9 July 1934), composer and aesthetician Iša Krejčí – 120th anniversary of his birth (10 July 1904 – 6 March 1968), non-classical composer and conductor Josef Páleniček – 110th anniversary of his birth (19 July 1914 – 7 March 1991), pianist and composer Rudolf Firkušný – 30th anniversary of his death (11 February 1912 – 19 July 1994), world-famous pianist september Prague Symphony Orchestra FOK – 90th anniversary of its foundation (1 September 1934) František Václav Míča – 330th anniversary of his birth (5 September 1694 – 15 February 1744), post-Baroque composer, author of the first opera sung in Czech october František Ignác Tůma – 320th anniversary of his birth (2 October 1704 – 30 January 1774), composer of the transition period from Baroque to Classicism Bohumír Liška – 110th anniversary of his birth (2 October 1914 – 8 September 1990), conductor Vilém Blodek – 190th anniversary of his birth (3 October 1834 – 1 May 1874), Romantic period composer Pavel Haas – 80th anniversary of his death (21 June 1899 – 17 October 1944), composer Hans Krása – 80th anniversary of his death (30 November 1899 – 18 October 1944), composer of German-Jewish origin Dalibor Vačkář – 40th anniversary of his death (19 September 1906 – 21 October 1984), composer november Prague Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra – 30th anniversary of its founding (17 November 1994), now under the name PKF – Prague Philharmonia Petr Hapka – 10th anniversary of his death (13 May 1944 – 25 November 2014) musician, composer of popular and film music, singer, conductor december National Theatre in Brno – 140th anniversary of its foundation (6 December 1884) The song Kde domov můj (Where Is My Home) was first heard at the premiere of Škroup’s and Tyl’s Fidlovačka at the Estates Theatre – 190th anniversary (21 December 1834)