Born in Paris of Czech parents, December 6, 1939, Tomas Svoboda composed his first opus at age 9 and was admitted to the Prague Conservatory 5 years later as its youngest student.

By 1962, after graduating from the Conservatory with degrees in percussion, composition and conducting, numerous performances and radio broadcasts of his music brought national recognition to Svoboda, clearly establishing him as Czechoslovakia's most important young composer.

In 1964, the Svoboda family departed Czechoslovakia and settled in the United States, where Svoboda enrolled at the Univ. of Southern California in 1966, graduating 2 years later with honors.

In 1981, first publication of his music brought forth a front cover tribute to Tomas Svoboda by the highly respected PIANO QUARTERLY. In 1985, Svoboda was commissioned to write his CHORALE in E flat, for Piano Quintet, Op. 118 for Aaron Copland's 85th birthday celebration in New York.

In July 2003, the Oregon Symphony Orchestra released an "All-Svoboda" orchestral CD, containing "Overture of the Season", "Symphony No. 1 (of Nature)" and "Marimba Concerto", which was named in a GRAMMY AWARD nomination: "Best Instrumental Soloist With Orchestra"; Niel DePonte, marimba; James DePreist, conductor. To date, 21 CDs have been released with 43 works by Svoboda on them.

Today, over 1,200 known performances of his music have taken place throughout the world, including 450 symphonic performances, with such major orchestras as the Boston, Philadelphia, Cleveland, San Francisco, Monte-Carlo, Prague, Nagoya and national symphonies of Guatemala and Costa Rica.

Orchestral performances during the 2006-2007 season have been scheduled with the Dayton (OH), Yakima and Northwest (WA), Missoula (MT) and Knox-Galesburg symphony orchestras.

Current recording projects underway include Svoboda's STRING QUARTETS, Nos. 5-8 [Martinu Quartet]; SONATA for Viola & Piano [Joel Belgique and Tomas Svoboda]; and AUTUMN for Koto [Mitsuki Dazai-Church].

(Jan 12, 2007)
Photo: © 1987 Cynthia Stowell/Portland State University; Used by Permission.

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