Tucapsky was born in 1928 in Opatovice (part of Vyskov), Moravia, former Czechoslovakia. In 1947 he graduated from the Teachers' Training College in Valasske Mezirici. He studied in Brno before beginning his career as a composer, teacher and conductor. From 1950 to 1951 he studied Choral Conducting at the Janacek Academy of Music and Performing Arts, Brno. In 1951 he graduated from Masaryk University, Brno, in Music Education and Musicology. Privately he studied composition with Jan Kunc, who was a pupil of Leos Janacek. In 1951 he took up a teaching post at the Higher Music School in Kromeriz. In the same year he became a member of the well-known Moravian Teachers' Male Voice Choir and from 1964 he became their Musical Director. With this famous body of male-voices he gave many concerts in Czechoslovakia and throughout Europe and recorded regularly for Czech Radio and the Supraphon recording company. In 1969 he gained his PhD for his book "Janacek's Male Choruses and Their Interpretation Tradition". In 1975 he moved to England and became a Professor of Composition at Trinity College of Music in London, where he remained until his retirement in 1996. In 1985 he was awarded an Honorary Fellowship of Trinity College of Music. There he had more time to develop his compositions, mostly choral or chorally based, having first performances in this country. Conversant with the various compositional theories and trends of the twentieth century, Tucapsky remained essentially a tonal composer.

During his career he received various awards and prizes for his compositions and cultural activity. Masaryk University, Brno, his alma mater, bestowed on him Doctor Honoris Causa in 1996. From 1975 Tucapsky devoted much of his time to composition rather than choral conducting. Most of his works are published by Goodmusic/Roberton.

Antonin Tucapsky died on September 9, 2014 at the age of 86.

[Biography from Goodmusic]