RESOUNDING ECHOES: From August 2022, Robert McCarney's regular series features little-known twentieth century classical composers.
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Czech composer, trombonist and teacher Oldřich Semerák was born in Stolin on 25 October 1932. He studied at the conservatory in Brno: trombone with Josef Smékal and composition with František Suché. Later he studied composition in Prague with Emil Hlobil and Karel Janeček.
Early in his career he played trombone professionally, and later taught music theory and composition in Karlovy Vary, Pilsen and Prague.
Oldřich Semerák died on 1 January 2024, aged ninety-one, leaving much chamber music and some vocal and orchestral compositions, including two symphonies.