When Michal and his mother moved to Fort Myers, FL from the Czech Republic when he was seven, he had no idea what was in store for him. He looked for a way to succeed and, at 12, found he excelled at the flute. His journey over the following decade is filled with important lessons for music educators and students. And the decade after is a testament to what highly-trained classical musicians can accomplish in any field.

Michal has been a dear friend since we roomed together during college at Carnegie Mellon, and I was delighted to have Michal visit my home recently, just months before he will be welcoming his first child. As we recorded this podcast, I learned many amazing details of Michal’s journey, from his early childhood to his recent endurance and service when his community was destroyed by Hurricane Ian. I know that Michal’s exceptional work ethic and caring spirit will make him an exceptional musical father.

Michal’s story has something to challenge, encourage, and inspire everyone who listens, so if you have a shorter commute, feel free to hit pause along the way and come back, or enjoy the whole episode while you are working in your yard over the weekend. (Speaking of, we ran out of time to talk about Michal and his wife Lavender’s 26 chickens, their dog, Mango, and the soap they’re making from their goats!)

Learn more about Captain Mike’s charter fishing company at swflcharters.com

Intro/outro music: Partita in A minor for solo flute, BWV 1013 – II. Corrente by J.S. Bach, performed by flutist Scott Goff, from Musopen.org

For more on music, family, and the polyphonic process of weaving the two together, visit themusicalfather.substack.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit themusicalfather.substack.com