The Joseph Seidler Piano Award

Joseph Seidler 1902 – 1994

Joseph started piano lessons at the age of eight. At sixteen he took lessons with a concert pianist (a composer called Julius Wolfsohn). Later he continued lessons with another virtuoso called Leo Siroto who specialised in romantic music. However, in later life Joseph mentioned that he wished he had concentrated on “Bach and Mozart whose music demands perfect clarity and rhythm.”

 It was suggested that Joseph should pursue a career in music, however, he decided to follow his father into textiles, firstly being sent for training to Chemnitz, Germany. Whilst there he was once asked to accompany the famous tenor Richard Tauber at a private soiree.

 At the age of twenty-two Joseph joined his father in business and eventually succeeded him managing his textile factory in Harrachov in Krkonose (now converted into a Sport Hotel).

 In 1938 Joseph Seidler came to England. In 1940 he was followed by his mother, his dear wife, Anita (nee’ Polacek) and two children, as refugees. Despite the difficult war years there was a Steinway grand piano as a focal point in their modest home.

 After the war (living in Bradford, Yorkshire) he started music lessons with Mr. Frank Mumby. At weekends there was always “music making” with other European refugees. Twenty years later he and his wife moved to live in London where he studied music with Lisa Fuchsova and Blazenka Franklova.

 Then he had the good fortune to meet Prof. & Mrs. Jaroslav Vanecek, Prof. & Mrs. Antonin Tucapsky and Mr. Tomas Tulacek with whom he continued to play the piano and had soirees at his apartment. He was still playing at the age of 92.

 Joseph Seidler’s greatest passion was music, to which he devoted many hours of piano practice. It comforted him in time of joy and sorrow. His gratitude to music was expressed in the memoirs he wrote for his family in which he quoted Schubert’s song

“Du holde Kunst, wie danke ich Dir”  (Oh, gracious Muse, my thanks to you)