Otakar Ševčík

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Otakar Ševčík (March 22, 1852 - January 18, 1934) was a Czech violinist, born at Horaždowitz.

Ševčík was known as a soloist and an ensemble player (including his playing with Eugène Ysaÿe). He studied under A. Bennewitz at the Prague Conservatory (1866-70) and began his career as concert master of the Mozarteumskonzerts in Salzburg. His appearance as soloist in Vienna in 1873 resulted in an engagement for the Lomische Oper. From 1875 to 1892 he was professor of violin at the music school of the Russian Imperial Music Society in Kiev, at the same time appearing frequently as soloist. In 1892 he became head of the violin department at the Prague Conservatory. The phenomenal success of some of his pupils (Kubelik, Kocián, Manén, Marie Hall) brought to him students from all parts of the world. He was a teacher of Erika Morini. His principles and method he published in several books, of which Schule der Violintechnik (four parts, 1880) and Schule der Bogentechnik (six parts, 1893) rank among the greatest works in musical pedagogical literature.

Ševčík was famous as a violin teacher in Salzburg, Vienna, Prague, Kharkiv, Kyiv, London, Boston, Chicago, New York. His violin studies and violin methods are still important as major teaching tools. These studies include The Little Ševčík, an elementary violin tutor, which teaches the semitone system in 149 exercises, and the School of Violin Technics, First Position, vol. II, 2nd to 7th Positions, and Vol. III, Shifting, and Preparatory Exercises in Double-Stopping, Opus 9.

[edit] References

Ševčík, Otakar. The Little Ševčík, An Elementary Violin Tutor (1901). Miami, Florida: Kalmus/Warner Music. ISBN 0-7692-9729-3.

This article incorporates text from an edition of the New International Encyclopedia that is in the public domain.