Václav Vačkář, born in Dobrejovice (Bohemia) in 1881, was a music student and military musician in the Imperial and Royal Infantry Regiment No. 45 in Przemyšl. At the turn of the century, he played with Josef Schwartz’s famous wind band in Russia and went on many concert tours.
In 1913, he became a member of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra in Prague. In the 1930s and 1940s, Václav Vačkář was, among other things, a conductor in Korcula, Boskovice, Krakow and Prague. In 1952, he was awarded the Smetana Prize by the City of Prague. He wrote over 300 compositions, including overtures, waltzes and marches.
His most famous works include the marches ‘Salute to Bohemia’, the ‘Riviera March’ and the ‘Kammbläser March’. Václav Vačkář, one of the most important Czech wind music composers after Julius Fucík and František Kmoch, died in Prague on 4 February 1954.