Brněnské začátky Rudolfa Firkušného a jeho studia u Leoše Janáčka

Rudolf Firkušný was born in Napajedla in 1912 and his family moved to Brno in 1915 after his father's death. His mother, Karla, and his siblings Leoš and Marie settled in a house in the street Údolní No. 55. When Firkušný yet as a small boy began to show signs of musical talent, his mother arranged for music classes with Václav Kolář, a member of the National Theatre orchestra in Brno. In the end, Firkušný took an exam at a composer and at that time director of the organ school, Leoš Janáček. After musical hearing and piano exam, Janáček admitted Rudolph to a piano class at the organ school led by Ludmila Tučková, who was later replaced by Růžena Kurzová. Firkušný then continued his piano studies at the Conservatory with Vilém Kurz. He studied composition in a master class of Leoš Janáček and in a composition and conducting class of Jaroslav Kvapil. The relationship between Janáček and Firkušný is another chapter in the pianist's life. Janáček paid attention to the talented boy with paternal care and understanding. From the beginning, he gave him private lessons in harmony and composition; he let Ruda play his pieces and encouraged him to his own compositional work. He mediated a meeting with President Masaryk, who was granting Firkušný a scholarship and later also arranged for a financial grant for study trips to France and Germany.