The History of Electroacoustic Music in the Czech and Slovak Republics

The history of electroacoustic music in the Czech and Slovak Republics began with simple experiments undertaken by composers in the 1950s. Increasing activity and interest throughout the 1950s and early 1960s led to the First Seminar of Electronic Music in the former Czechoslovakia, which was held at the Radio Broadcast Station in Plzeň in 1964. Four government-sanctioned electroacoustic music studios were established in the 1960s under the auspices of existing radio and television stations. All other venues for electroacoustic production were clandestine; however, even the official studios were obliged to restrain and/or disguise composition—for both political and economic reasons—throughout their history. The fall of the totalitarian regime in 1989 replaced political obstacles with economic ones. Electroacoustic music in the Czech and Slovak Republics has nevertheless survived and continues to develop.