Janáček Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Brno

The Janáček Academy of Music and Performing Arts was founded in Brno on September 12th 1947. The foundation was inspired by the earlier attempts of Leoš Janáček, a composer who spent most of his fruitful period of his life in Brno. It was Janáček who tried to establish a music academy there. His effort was partially successful. He managed to found the organ school which later facilitated establishing a conservatory in Brno. In the pre-war period, conservatories and master courses were the highest-quality art educational institutions. The fi rst art university, the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, was not established until 1945. Brno, the second most important cultural and historical centre of the Czech Republic, soon started to feel the urge to have such educational institution as well. Nowadays more then 500 students are preparing for their future art careers at the two faculties of the Janáček Academy.