Photo: Studio Matouš
Vítězslava Kaprálová was born into a musical family; her father was even a pupil of Leoš Janáček, providing her with a strong foundation for success. For her graduation project at the Prague Conservatory, she composed the Military Sinfonietta, which was performed by the Czech Philharmonic—an exceptional achievement, as it is unlikely the orchestra has performed another graduation work since. Not only that, she conducted the performance herself, with President Edvard Beneš attending the premiere.
Kaprálová was both a composer and a conductor, a rare combination even today.
See more here.