• Piano Institute of Karel Hodyc: pupil(s) of institute, pf

The Dalibor 1/8/1860 report, signed ‘V.G.’, drew attention to the success of this institute in which ‘we perceived among the pupils many beautiful musical talents of both male and female sex’. These pupils, many of which were ‘still in their delicate youth’ had been observed to have made great progress in both technical and expressive aspects of piano playing. After only 6 to 10 months of study they were able to perform study pieces ‘accurately, in time and expressively.’ Such results were attributed to good teaching, with the tutor being able to recognize the individuality and capability of each pupil, and to utilize different teaching methods for different pupils according to the students’ individual abilities. Hodyc, who himself was noted to have been taught by V.J. Tomášek, was adjudged to be a successful practitioner of such methods. The examination performances were judged by the Czech piano virtuoso, Alexander Dreyschock, then present in Prague.