Author Page
Eva Šašinková, M.M., Ph.D., M.B.A.
Eva Šašinková lives in Prague, Czech Republic, where she teaches at the Pilsen Conservatory and the Academy of Music in Prague. A passionate musician from a young age, Eva plays the double bass and admires the piano. This admiration influences her teaching method, simplifying music theory using the keyboard layout. Her project originated from a children's story she created during a challenging period.
Eva loves teaching children and is eager to share her knowledge. However, she found that the available materials for her classes needed improvement. To address this issue, she visited music schools throughout the Czech Republic and, based on her research, developed new worksheets that provided helpful information and fun activities. These enhancements have made learning music theory more engaging and enjoyable, receiving positive reactions from students and fellow teachers.
Professor Eva engages children through drawing, singing, and practical demonstrations on a keyboard, making learning enjoyable. She introduces Clefi, a character who welcomes children in "Clefi's Little Notebook" and guides them through four volumes of "Clefi's Music Notebook." With Clefi, they sing and play in "Clefi's Little Notebook" and explore "Clefi's Musical Instruments," designed for young musicians. These fun workbooks help children practice and prepare for a deeper connection with music, potentially leading to a lifelong passion.
Eva's words of encouragement are a beacon of hope for those who did not have the best opportunities in their musical education. She reminds them that age and circumstances should not deter one's love for music. Her message, delivered with a clever smile, is a call to action: 'If you love music and have an open heart, the muse will not ask you how old you are. She will kiss you on the brow when you least expect it. So do not wait and be ready!'
Eva loves teaching children and is eager to share her knowledge. However, she found that the available materials for her classes needed improvement. To address this issue, she visited music schools throughout the Czech Republic and, based on her research, developed new worksheets that provided helpful information and fun activities. These enhancements have made learning music theory more engaging and enjoyable, receiving positive reactions from students and fellow teachers.
Professor Eva engages children through drawing, singing, and practical demonstrations on a keyboard, making learning enjoyable. She introduces Clefi, a character who welcomes children in "Clefi's Little Notebook" and guides them through four volumes of "Clefi's Music Notebook." With Clefi, they sing and play in "Clefi's Little Notebook" and explore "Clefi's Musical Instruments," designed for young musicians. These fun workbooks help children practice and prepare for a deeper connection with music, potentially leading to a lifelong passion.
Eva's words of encouragement are a beacon of hope for those who did not have the best opportunities in their musical education. She reminds them that age and circumstances should not deter one's love for music. Her message, delivered with a clever smile, is a call to action: 'If you love music and have an open heart, the muse will not ask you how old you are. She will kiss you on the brow when you least expect it. So do not wait and be ready!'
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Dr. Eva's Life Stages
Stage ONE
Musician - Double Bass Player
Dr. Eva began playing the piano at the age of five. Inspired by her brother, who was a member of a dulcimer band, she developed a fascination for the double bass. By the age of twelve, she was studying at a People's Art School, focusing on piano and folk dance, and she also took up the double bass. Two years later, she enrolled in a conservatory to study the double bass more seriously.
While her double bass studies became her main priority, the piano remained a crucial tool for her grasp of music theory. At the conservatory, she had the privilege of studying under Prof. Miloslav Gajdoš, a world-renowned double bass player and pedagogue known for his innovative teaching methods. Under his guidance, she achieved the level of a conservatory student in only two years. At the end of her second year with Prof. Gajdoš, she won the International Double Bass Competition in Debrecen, Hungary.
After this monumental accomplishment, she continued her studies at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague under the tutelage of distinguished Prof. Jiří Hudec. This opportunity launched her onto the international music stage; however, her career and musical activities were interrupted for nearly 18 years due to unexpected and painfully prolonged family issues. During that time, she was involved in music production and pursued music only as a hobby.
Between 2015 and 2017, she has been making a remarkable comeback, managing to return to the stage and perform again both as a soloist and a chamber musician. Currently, she performs as a soloist and chamber musician throughout the Czech Republic and collaborates with renowned musicians. Her notable collaborations include partnerships with her husband, Doc. Miloš Černý, a violinist and singer, a solo violist Jitka Hosprová, the concertmaster of the Czech Philharmonic Miroslav Vilímec, and cellist Petr Šporcl.
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Musician - Double Bass Player
Dr. Eva began playing the piano at the age of five. Inspired by her brother, who was a member of a dulcimer band, she developed a fascination for the double bass. By the age of twelve, she was studying at a People's Art School, focusing on piano and folk dance, and she also took up the double bass. Two years later, she enrolled in a conservatory to study the double bass more seriously.
While her double bass studies became her main priority, the piano remained a crucial tool for her grasp of music theory. At the conservatory, she had the privilege of studying under Prof. Miloslav Gajdoš, a world-renowned double bass player and pedagogue known for his innovative teaching methods. Under his guidance, she achieved the level of a conservatory student in only two years. At the end of her second year with Prof. Gajdoš, she won the International Double Bass Competition in Debrecen, Hungary.
After this monumental accomplishment, she continued her studies at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague under the tutelage of distinguished Prof. Jiří Hudec. This opportunity launched her onto the international music stage; however, her career and musical activities were interrupted for nearly 18 years due to unexpected and painfully prolonged family issues. During that time, she was involved in music production and pursued music only as a hobby.
Between 2015 and 2017, she has been making a remarkable comeback, managing to return to the stage and perform again both as a soloist and a chamber musician. Currently, she performs as a soloist and chamber musician throughout the Czech Republic and collaborates with renowned musicians. Her notable collaborations include partnerships with her husband, Doc. Miloš Černý, a violinist and singer, a solo violist Jitka Hosprová, the concertmaster of the Czech Philharmonic Miroslav Vilímec, and cellist Petr Šporcl.
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Dr. Eva is a prolific musician. It's hard to capture all her musical activities on one page. Here is our little taste of it.
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Dr. Eva and her husband, violinist Miloš Černý, are members of the Prague String Duo, which performs a wide range of chamber music repertoire. This is a sample of Eva's arrangement of Bottesini's Grand Duo Concertante.
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The rich tradition of Czech folklore and its amazing folk songs are the foundation of Dr. Eva's method of introducing the fundamentals of music to children. In Clefi's Musical Instrument, young musicians learn about the hammered dulcimer. Here is Jan Rokyta, the celebrated Czech hammered dulcimer player, and the Prague String Duo showcasing the instrument's magic and Czech folk singing.
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Both members of the Prague String Duo are excellent singers. Enjoy this beautiful rendition of Kyrie and Gloria featuring both musicians in a vocal duo sensitively accompanied by Jan Rokyta's dulcimer and Eva's gentle bass line.
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Stage TWO
Pedagogue
Since childhood, her biggest dream has been to work with children. Her teaching career began in 2012 at the Elementary Art School in Líbeznice, where she taught music theory and piano for several months. She continued to work at various schools throughout the Czech Republic, developing her original educational program for children aged 5 to 10.
In 2017, she began teaching music at Troja High School in Prague, and in 2018, she took on the role of double bass instructor at Lounsky Elementary Art School. That same year, she commenced her doctoral studies at the School of Education at Charles University in Prague, specializing in Music Theory and Pedagogy. As a doctoral teaching assistant, she lectured on music theory within the department.
Eventually, she became the artistic director of Kolegium Pedagogikum, a chamber orchestra made up of the students and faculty of the department. During this time, she worked on her dissertation titled "Double Bass – Historical, Pedagogical, and Music-Theoretical Aspects." Additionally, Eva received a grant from Charles University to research the Czech double bass school and its contemporary teachers.
After earning her doctoral degree, Dr. Eva joined the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague as a professor of pedagogy and educational psychology while also teaching double bass at the Conservatory in Pilsen. She remains actively involved at both institutions.
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Pedagogue
Since childhood, her biggest dream has been to work with children. Her teaching career began in 2012 at the Elementary Art School in Líbeznice, where she taught music theory and piano for several months. She continued to work at various schools throughout the Czech Republic, developing her original educational program for children aged 5 to 10.
In 2017, she began teaching music at Troja High School in Prague, and in 2018, she took on the role of double bass instructor at Lounsky Elementary Art School. That same year, she commenced her doctoral studies at the School of Education at Charles University in Prague, specializing in Music Theory and Pedagogy. As a doctoral teaching assistant, she lectured on music theory within the department.
Eventually, she became the artistic director of Kolegium Pedagogikum, a chamber orchestra made up of the students and faculty of the department. During this time, she worked on her dissertation titled "Double Bass – Historical, Pedagogical, and Music-Theoretical Aspects." Additionally, Eva received a grant from Charles University to research the Czech double bass school and its contemporary teachers.
After earning her doctoral degree, Dr. Eva joined the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague as a professor of pedagogy and educational psychology while also teaching double bass at the Conservatory in Pilsen. She remains actively involved at both institutions.
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Professor Eva Šašinková, M.M., Ph.D., M.B.A., has wanted to teach children since she was a little girl. Now, she does just that through her popular series of educational programs called SONG LESSONS.
Song Lesson 1
"How a Song Was Born." In this playful lesson, children will discover how a song is created. They will learn the difference between singing and speaking and what they need to know to write down a melody. The lesson covers fundamental music topics such as notes, clefs, and musical scores. Children will also learn what a folk song is. |
Song Lesson 2
"I'm a Musician" This lesson introduces children to the origins of musical instruments, exploring how the first instruments were created and what instruments we use today. Young future musicians will learn the basic classifications of musical instruments and have the opportunity to see and hear at least one instrument from each group: drums, wind instruments, plucked string instruments, bowed string instruments, and keyboard instruments. |
Stage THREE
Publications
Dr. Eva's publishing journey began with a passion for teaching children how to understand music in an entertaining and engaging manner. This pursuit led her to create an educational recital program, which she took on tour across the country. To further engage her young audience, Dr. Eva produced printed materials, starting with small notebooks containing additional exercises related to the presentation. She published these at her own expense.
Recognizing the growing interest in her method, Dr. Eva compiled her first professional publication titled Klíčkův notýsek (Clefi's Little Notebook) , designed for teaching music theory to young children. In 2017, she dedicated the entire year to developing a four-part series of music theory textbooks called Klíček (a little clef). The name "Klíček" was inspired by her original fairy tale, How a Song Was Born (The Story of a Song), which she created to ease young children into discovering the fundamentals of music.
The original series now called New Music Education School includes:
Since 2019, Dr. Eva has also been actively publishing articles focused on the double bass. Her contributions include a series of expert articles for the magazines Musical Horizons and At Fontes Artis. Inspired by the double bass, she authored several books, including the method book with pictures Fundamentals of Double Bass Playing – Jiří Hudec, Methodology of Double Bass Playing, and Brief History of the Double Bass. All books, including the New Music Education School series, are published by Dr. Eva's publishing company, Czech Music Edition.
Publications
Dr. Eva's publishing journey began with a passion for teaching children how to understand music in an entertaining and engaging manner. This pursuit led her to create an educational recital program, which she took on tour across the country. To further engage her young audience, Dr. Eva produced printed materials, starting with small notebooks containing additional exercises related to the presentation. She published these at her own expense.
Recognizing the growing interest in her method, Dr. Eva compiled her first professional publication titled Klíčkův notýsek (Clefi's Little Notebook) , designed for teaching music theory to young children. In 2017, she dedicated the entire year to developing a four-part series of music theory textbooks called Klíček (a little clef). The name "Klíček" was inspired by her original fairy tale, How a Song Was Born (The Story of a Song), which she created to ease young children into discovering the fundamentals of music.
The original series now called New Music Education School includes:
- Klíčkův notýsek - Clefi's Little Notebook
- Hudební nauka Klíček 1 – 4 - Clefi's Music Notebooks 1 - 4 (will be available soon)
- Hudební výchova (Music Education - in English version combined with Clefi's Little Notebook)
- Hudební nástroje pro malé muzikanty - Clefi's Musical Instruments
- Notopísanka 1 – 3 - Clefi's Music Workbooks 1, Clefi's Music Workbooks 2, Clefi's Music Workbooks 3
Since 2019, Dr. Eva has also been actively publishing articles focused on the double bass. Her contributions include a series of expert articles for the magazines Musical Horizons and At Fontes Artis. Inspired by the double bass, she authored several books, including the method book with pictures Fundamentals of Double Bass Playing – Jiří Hudec, Methodology of Double Bass Playing, and Brief History of the Double Bass. All books, including the New Music Education School series, are published by Dr. Eva's publishing company, Czech Music Edition.
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The pinnacle of her publishing achievements is the title, Czech Art of Interpretation: Significant Pedagogues of Czech Double Bass School from the Turn of the Millennia, published by Karolina Publishing House in 2022.
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Eva is a seriously serious musician, but she knows cool, and we know she can be really cool.
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Dr. Eva loves playing with her distinguished colleagues in any and all music genres. She is a member of nontraditional chamber music ensembles such as Prague String Duo (violin and double bass), Bohemia Bass (cello and double bass), and Czech Chamber Trio (flute, violin, and double bass) and enjoys playing music on the pop and entertainment side of the musical spectrum as a member of Pragtet, the all-female instrumental-vocal ensemble.
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Eva is a member of several cross-genre and pop-genre ensembles. The Pragtet group consisting of Lada Ševčíková, violin, Jana Rychterová, guitar and voice, and Eva Šašinková, double bass and voice is one of them. This name seems to be a playful combination of the words "Prague" and "teta," which means "aunt" in Czech. It reflects the charming wordplay by the three protagonists who seem to refer to themselves as a group of Prague aunties or simply a Prague ensemble of who-knows-how-many-members.
The group is a female vocal-instrumental ensemble that performs beloved Czech evergreens by past hitmakers such as Ježek, Šlitr, Suchý, and the old couplets and hits of Hašler.
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Prague String Duo:
Miloš Černý - violin, voice and
Eva Šašinková - double bass, voice
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Stage FOUR
Studying Psychology and Sociology Working with university students and life experience inspired her to study for an MBA in psychology and sociology at the British Business School in Prague. Her research focused on the use of coaching in music education. Eva continues to focus nearly all her activities on these topics, including self-development. Stage FIVE Family and Leisure Time In her free time, Dr. Eva enjoys discovering and editing new compositions for double bass. Her family life hasn't always been idyllic. Therefore, she enjoys unwavering support from her husband Doc. Miloš Černý, M.M., M.A. and cherishes the love of their five-year-old daughter Eliška all the more. When Eliška saw her parents playing double bass and violin, she wanted to play the double bass because the violins were for boys. Her parents explained that violin and piano are much better starter instruments. So she agreed to learn the violin. The trio loves to spend their free time together at their country house mushroom hunting and enjoying their garden. Their favorite pastime is a word-guessing game. Eliška also likes dancing and singing while accompanied by her talented musical parents. |