“Being in the world is fun, but not a day goes by without a little pain, anguish, and regret mixed in with that fun.”

Felix Slováček has been one of the most renowned Czech musicians for several decades. The brilliant multi-instrumentalist applies his talent to jazz and popular music, as well as interpreting the classical clarinet repertoire. He has several albums of his own and has made hundreds of solo TV appearances. As a solo player, he has already won many prizes at international competitions. He has always demonstrated his musical versatility as a composer and conductor. This year, he will celebrate not only his 80th birthday, but also 60 years in his professional career with a gala concert in the Prague lantern. President Miloš Zeman awarded him the “For Merit” medal.

Felix Slováček’s real name is Antonín – the nickname was given to him by a classmate because he said it reminded him of the cat Felix. The well-known musician was born in Zlín in 1943 and has been devoted to music since childhood. His parents wanted him to play the piano or the violin, but the boy was fascinated by the tones of the clarinet and saxophone.

He studied clarinet, piano, double bass, drums, and conducting at the conservatory in Kroměříž. Subsequently, he continued his studies at the Janáček Academy of Performing Arts in Brno, where, under the guidance of Professor Vladimír Říha, one of the best clarinetists, he perfected his playing of this musical instrument. “At that time, I was playing in bars in Brno every evening with amazing bands. So I played all kinds of genres, and it was an excellent school. The first professional bandleader for me was Mirko Foret, and later I got to know other greats, such as Gustav Brom, Karel Vlach, and, of course, Ladislav Štaidl.”

In 1968, after his work in the Army Art Ensemble during the war, Slováček became a member of the Karel Vlach Orchestra. “When I came to the orchestra for the first time, I heard the jingle and the wonderful sound of the whole band, it was so strong that I burst into tears.” He then performed with the Gustav Brom Orchestra, simultaneously performed in Reduta and Viola, and also played at jazz evenings in the Theater of Music.

The way to success was opened for Felix Slováček by his engagement in the Orchestra of Ladislav Štaidl (1969–1986). Belonging to the band accompanying the most successful Czech singer Karel Gott meant wide opportunities for Slováček in numerous foreign tours and numerous recordings. He expanded his art to play the saxophone and is best known to the public in connection with this musical instrument. As the most outstanding instrumentalist of the orchestra, he was often given the opportunity to perform solos during Gott’s concerts, which made him visible not only here but also in a number of other countries.

In addition to the Štaidl Orchestra, Felix also began to perform solo or with other ensembles. In 1983, he became the conductor of the Dance and Jazz Orchestra of the Czechoslovak Radio. After leaving Štaidl’s band, he accepted this job full-time in 1986. The Orchestra of the Czechoslovak Radio, which after 1989 adopted the name Big Band Radio Praha, transformed over time into the Big Band of Felix Slováček, who still serves as chief conductor and, of course, as a soloist.