I got my second wind

Author: Martina Hudecková
Location: Brno
Pavel Oracko and I were sitting and sipping coffee in his kitchen, a place where visitors usually do not get to see.
"I already liked the violin when I was in nursery school, ” Pavel said. “My older brother was taking lessons, and when I saw him practice at home I really liked it. Unnoticed, I used to borrow his violin and kept trying to play. Before I started the first grade, I could already play one song. That’s how it all started.
The person who motivated me the most was my brother. Because we had no sitter, he used to take me with him to the music school. I saw kids learning how to play. At home, I kept trying, and my father finally decided to enroll me too.
My first public concert took place in Besední dum in Brno. I was six, and I had terrible stage fright. But in the end, I managed to handle both the concert and the fright.
I strongly preferred the violin to school. My teacher, Mrs. Kade?ábková, was more and more demanding. She was always bugging my parents – and me too. I worked really hard and had many concerts and took part in musical competitions. I was successful.
So I began to consider enrolling at a conservatory. It proved more demanding than music school. I had to practice more at home. I focused on mastering my technique, consistency, and good nerves. I got my second wind, and really enjoyed playing; I played a lot of new things.
I was fortunate to become a student of an excellent professor, Arnost Jíra. He kept adding more and more things to my repertory and worked hard on my development. He devoted a lot of time to me. Thanks to him I became better than the other students. I think he was happy with me too.
After graduating from the conservatory I enrolled at the Janacek Academy of Music in Brno. One had to be much more self-sufficient there. Studying, rehearsing, and communication with the teachers were different. I took lessons with Professor Bohumil Smejkal. I felt honored to play with him all over the Czech Republic accompanied by the Hradec Králové Chamber Orchestra. At the Rudolfinum in Prague I played Bach as a soloist, and performed Bachês concerto for two violins with Professor Smejkal.
After JAMU I did a lot of different things. I will never forget having played with the Olomouc Philharmonic Orchestra. And for the past two years I’ve been playing with the State Philharmonic Orchestra in Brno.

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