Josef Holeček

Czech - Swedish composer, classical guitarist, pedagogue, and musicologist, born in Prag (now Czech Republic) on October 28, 1939. Since 1967 he has lived in Göteborg, Sweden. He studied guitar at the Prague Conservatory of Music and at the Academy of Music in Vienna with Prof. Karl Scheit (soloist diploma), and later musicology at the Göteborg University (Ph. D.). In 1967 he was a finalist in the International Guitar Competition in Paris. In 1970/80’s he gave recitals, radio recordings, and TV-performances in several European countries, in the USA, and in Australia; he made two recordings with music by Britten and Castelnuovo-Tedesco, and guitar pieces composed by or for Holecek. He served as a professor at the Göteborg University, where he taught advanced interpretative instrumental technique and was head of the guitar soloist class. He had two guitar methods issued in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. Several of his guitar compositions and arrangements were published by G. Schirmer in New York, Doblinger in Vienna, and Gehrmans in Stockholm. Holecek's doctoral dissertation, För musikens skull (For Music Sake)—2 volumes, in Swedish, with summary in English (pp. 357–66)—was accepted by the Göteborg University, Dept. of Musicology, 1966. Volume 1 deals with the development of guitar technique since the late 18th century, in interaction between society, music, instrument, and technique. Volume 2 is a selection of guitar etudes (by Sor, Aguado, Carulli, Molino, and others) comprising all the technique elements used in 18th-century guitar music. Progressively lined edition for use at music conservatories/universities.