OTTOKAR CADEK

Instruments: Violin, Conductor
Date of Birth:
Place of Birth: Chattanooga, Tennessee
Home: Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Ottokar Cadek was a member of the faculty at the University of Alabama from 1943 until his death in 1956 at the age of 59. During the 1954-55 academic year he was named acting head of the music department.

As a young man, he studied at the Zurich Conservatory of Music where he was an honor graduate. He continued his studies with Franz Kneisel, Leopold Auer and Ottokar Seveik.

Professor Cadek joined the faculty at Alabama as head of violin instruction and chamber music and as conductor of the University Symphony Orchestra. He was a concert violinist of wide experience having held the position of first violinist with the New York String Quarter for 14 years.

He was director of the string department of the Birmingham Conservatory of Music and concert master and associate conductor of the Birmingham Civic Symphony from 1933-1942.

He was also conductor and head of the violin department at the National Music Camp at Interlochen Michigan, and died during a faculty performance. He was playing first violin in the Brahms Clarinet Quintet and had just completed the third movement when he shook his head, put down his violin and died.