Silver Jan Masaryk Honorary Medal bestowed on the Dvořák American Heritage  Association (DAHA)

The Silver Jan Masaryk Honorary Medal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic was bestowed on the Dvořák American Heritage Association (DAHA) for “the beautiful and memorable contributions you organized in connection with the historic return [to America] of the original manuscript of Antonín Dvořák’s ‘New World’ Symphony.”  The Medal was presented by His Excellency Petr Gandalovič, the Czech Ambassador to the United States, to DAHA President Susan Lucak at a meeting that took place at the Bohemian National Hall in New York City on December 3, 2014.

 DAHA is deeply honored to receive this prestigious award.  DAHA’s close collaboration in the recent exhibition of the original manuscript of Dvořák’s “New World” Symphony at the Bohemian National Hall  included a special initiative with the New York Philharmonic Archives that allowed the original manuscript to be reunited with the original orchestral parts from the 1893 premiere, as well as related events such as lectures with leading scholars and viewings of the Dvořák Room, which were cited in the letter accompanying the award.  These events were planned as part of the celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the Velvet Revolution and Czech freedom and democracy. 

 The honorary medal is named after Jan Masaryk, the distinguished Czech Foreign Minister who served from 1940 to 1948, and son of Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk, the founding father and first president of former Czechoslovakia. 

 Founded in 1990, DAHA marks its 25th Anniversary this year,  commemorating, celebrating, and continuing to explore composer Antonín Dvořák’s extraordinary musical contributions, with a special emphasis on his influential residency in the United States from 1892 to 1895.