Firkušný studied both piano and composition with Janacek; from 1920 to 1927, at the Brno Conservatory with Ruzena Kurzová; and at the Prague Conservatory with Vilém Kurz and Rudolf Karel. From 1929-1930, he also studied composition with Suk. Firkušný made his debut in Prague in 1922 and pursued an active career in Eastern Europe until 1933, when he first played in England, and 1938, when he made his United States debut. His compositions include a piano concerto, premiered in 1930, a string quartet, and various piano pieces and songs.
After his American debut, Firkušný establi...