Suk (II), Josef
Suk (II), Josef
Suk (II), Josef, outstanding Czech violinist, grandson of Josef Suk (I) and great-grandson of Antonín (Leopold) Dvorak; b. Prague, Aug. 8, 1929. He was only a child when he commenced violin lessons with Jaroslav Kocián, who remained his teacher until the latter’s death in 1950; Suk also studied at the Prague Cons, (until 1951) and then with M. Hlouñová and A. Plocek at the Prague Academy of Music (1951-53). He made his public debut in 1940; later played in the orch. of the Prague National Theater; also was a member of the Prague Quartet (1951-52). In 1952 he founded the Suk Trio with the pianist Jan Panenka and the cellist Josef Chuchro, and toured widely with it; his interest in chamber music led him to form a duo with Zuzana Rûzickova in 1963; he was also a member of a trio with Julius Katchen and Janos Starker (1967-69). In 1959 he made a grand tour as soloist to 3 continents with the Czech Phil. On Jan. 23, 1964, he made his U.S. debut with the Cleveland Orch., and subsequently appeared as soloist with other American orchs. In 1964 he received a Czech State Prize, in 1970 he was made an Artist of Merit, and in 1977 was named a National Artist of Czechoslovakia.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire