Career
He recorded many of Beethoven"s works, and he played for many years with the. January Panenka began his concert career in 1944, as a pupil of František Maxián at the Prague Conservatory. In 1951 he was awarded the 2nd prize at the Prague Spring International Music Competition.
He attracted attention in 1959, on a concert tour to Australia and Japan with the Czechoslovakian Philharmonic.
Panenka interrupted his career in 1979, due to hand problems. He worked as a conductor, but later returned to the piano and made recordings with the Smetana Quartet.
As a soloist with the Czechoslovakian Philharmonic he made also a number of gramophone recordings, including the complete piano concertos of (1964-1971). He was awarded the Grand Prix du Disque for the recording of violin sonatas by and Claude Debussy, with.
