Silver Coin 200 CZK 200th Anniversary 2011 Proof

Opening of classes at the Prague Conservatory 200th Anniversary

On the obverse of the bicentenary is a composition of three musical instruments that are taught at the Prague Conservatory. On the left is the French horn, in the middle the oboe and on the right the cello. The name of the state "CZECH REPUBLIC" is placed at the top of the cello. The mark of the Czech Mint is placed below the abbreviation of the monetary unit.

On the reverse of the bicentenary is a composition of other musical instruments - on the left is a bassoon, in the middle an oboe and on the right in the outline a double bass. Under the year "2011" is the mark of the author of the bicentenary, MgA. Martin Dašek.

The Prague Conservatory was founded in 1808, as the first conservatory in Central Europe. The first school year started on 24 April 1811. It was only later that conservatories were founded elsewhere. In Vienna in 1817, in London in 1822, in The Hague in 1826, in Madrid in 1831, in Brussels in 1832, in Leipzig in 1843, in Berlin in 1850, in what was then St Petersburg in 1862, in Moscow in 1866, etc.

The first cello teacher at the Prague Conservatoire was Bernard Václav Št'astný, son of Jan Št'astný (died 1788), an outstanding oboist in the Prague theatre orchestra. B. V. Št'astný worked at the Prague Conservatoire for 11 years and retired on 30 May 1822 due to his old age. He died in Prague in 1835 at the age of 75.

As pupils were initially admitted to the Conservatoire at the age of ten, they played the school instruments available at the Conservatoire (cellos and double basses) during lessons. It was only from 1816 that pupils were admitted at the age of ten. The first public academy of students was held by the conservatory on 21 February 1815 in the Reduta, and the following year (15 September 1816) the first 12 students graduated, 7 of whom deserve praise, including the cellist Josef Weidl, born in Loučka, the violinists J. V. Kalivoda and K. Barták, double bassist J. Novák, bassoonist L. Vesecký, horn player J. Cvrček and clarinetist F. Blatt. In 1822, a total of 22 students graduated, among them cellists Josef Hlavatý from Prague and Jan Matys from Komorní Hrádek u Chocerad (as well as the famous violinist Josef Slavik). Current graduates include, for example, cellist František Brikcius and Petr Hejduk.

Each silver coin is stored in a protective plastic capsule and placed in a dark blue box along with a certificate of authenticity from the CNB.