Jan Sedivka

Jan Boleslav Sedivka AM (in Czech: Šedivka) (Slaný, 8 September 1917 – Hobart, 23 August 2009),^[1][2] Czech-born, was one of Australia's foremost violinists and teachers.^[3]

Jan Boleslav Sedivka
Jan Sedivka, Mount Nelson, 1988
Born	8 September 1917 Slaný, Czechoslovakia
Died	23 August 2009(2009-08-23) (aged 91) Hobart, Australia
Partner	Beryl Sedivka
Awards	Order of Australia

Biography

Educated in Czechoslovakia (Otakar Ševčík^[4] and Jaroslav Kocián), France (École Normale de Musique, Classe Jacques Thibaud) and England (Max Rostal), Jan Sedivka made his reputation overseas as a soloist, chamber music player and teacher before coming to Australia in 1961.^[5][6]

As a performer, Jan Sedivka gained special merit for his efforts on behalf of Australian contemporary music. In this capacity he introduced a number of important works dedicated to him, in particular concertos by Larry Sitsky (Nos. 1, 2, 3 & 4), James Penberthy, Ian Cugley, Don Kay, Colin Brumby, Edward Cowie and Eric Gross.

His wife Beryl Sedivka is a noted pianist who often performed with him.

Writings

• An Assessment of: “Bach’s Chaconne for Unaccompanied Violin - a Study in Interpretation” by Graham Wood, ds., Hobart, 1974

Honours and awards

• Member of the Order of Australia 1987^[7]
• Honorary Fellow, Trinity College of Music, London
• Honorary Doctor of Letters, University of Tasmania^[6]
• Honorary Professor, Shanghai Conservatory of Music
• Memorial Gold Medal, Prague Academy of Musical Arts
• Honorary Fellowship in Music Australia
• Honorary Citizen, Royal City of Slany (Czech Republic)
• Honorary Professor University of Tasmania 1995^[6]
• Distinguished Service Award Australian Strings Association 1998.

Bernard Heinze Memorial Award

The Sir Bernard Heinze Memorial Award is given to a person who has made an outstanding contribution to music in Australia.

Year	Nominee / work	Award	Result	Ref.
1995	Jan Sedivka	Sir Bernard Heinze Memorial Award	awarded

Don Banks Music Award

The Don Banks Music Award was established in 1984 to publicly honour a senior artist of high distinction who has made an outstanding and sustained contribution to music in Australia.^[8] It was founded by the Australia Council in honour of Don Banks, Australian composer, performer and the first chair of its music board.

Year	Nominee / work	Award	Result
2004	Jan Sedivka	Don Banks Music Award	awarded

Students

For Sedivka's notable students, see List of music students by teacher: R to S § Jan Sedivka.

Bibliography

• Philippe Borer, Aspects of European Influences on Violin Playing & Teaching in Australia, M.Mus. diss., 1988 (on Jan Sedivka's violin playing and teaching philosophies see Chapters III and IV) https://eprints.utas.edu.au/18865/
• Lyndal Edmiston, “The teacher as catalyst in the learning process”, in Festschrift Jan Sedivka, ed. by D. S. Mercer, Hobart, The Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music, 1982
• Jan Mařàk–Viktor Nopp, Housle, Prague, Hudební matice Umělecké besedy, 1944, p. 61
• Elisabeth Morgan, “String Teaching: an extended perspective”, in Festschrift Jan Sedivka, ed. by D. S. Mercer, Hobart, The Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music, 1982, pp. 100–109
• Elinor Morrisby, Up is down, a life of violinist Jan Sedivka, Melbourne, 2008
• Marina Louise Phillips, An assessment of the contribution to Australian string pedagogy and performance of Jan Sedivka, PhD diss., 2001