Robert Kurka

Robert Frank Kurka ( born December 22, 1921 in Cicero (Illinois ), † December 12, 1957 in New York City ) was an American composer.

Kurka learned violin, operating an extensive self-study in composition and became a student of Otto Luening and Darius Milhaud. From 1948 to 1951 he taught at the City College of New York, and later at Queens and at Dartmouth College. Kurka was awarded the Guggenheim Fellowship.

A wide audience, he became known for his opera The Good Soldier Schweik by Jaroslav Hašek's The Good Soldier Schweik, which was premiered on 23 April 1958 in the New York City Opera. He also wrote two symphonies, concert music, chamber music, choral and piano pieces.

Kurka died in 1957 from leukemia.