Josef Vlach, born on June 8, 1923, in Ratměřice, was a Czech violinist and conductor. He began his music education under his father and older brother Václav before studying at the Prague Conservatory from 1938. During World War II, Vlach was drafted for military service for seven months. In 1946, he became concertmaster of the Czech Chamber Orchestra. He formed the Vlach Quartet in 1950, which won first prize at the Concours international de quatuor à cordes de la ville de Liège in 1955 and made over 160 recordings. In 1957, Vlach established a chamber orchestra that was named the Czech Chamber Orchestra, performing at festivals like the Salzburg Festival and Prague Spring Festival. He also directed the Czech Philharmonic. Vlach passed away on October 17, 1988, in Linköping, Sweden, following a stroke during a rehearsal on stage.
