bohemian musicians
of the
nemaha river valley
Sokol Hall of Famer Bob Stepanek
This exhibition opened on Memorial Day weekend 2019 and will remain in place through the Fall. It will ultimately be installed in the Opera House museum. The museum will be open on the day of the fair, August 10, 2019 and on occasional Sundays. Follow us on Facebook for special days -- Table Rock Historical Society is the group page. Tours by appointment are freely given, email [email protected] or phone 402 839 3003.
below -- getting the exhibition ready, & then opening day
Curating the collection and mounting photographs chosen was a big job!
Getting ready -- Tom Krofta's bass horn needed some TLC, which was given by his son Gary and others.
Tom Krofta's bass horn
|
rudy (tom) krofta,
|
Ed Hanna & his tommy bishop band pause to do a skit with "isabel" & the "table rock or bust" suitcase
A new mannequin to display our kroj, which was donated by Dorothy Stepan. A kroj is a national costume; the design of each is unique to the town or village
|
Found shoes for the kroj (costume), the beautiful shoes of Ida Vrtiska, loaned by granddaughter Joy Vrtiska Robison.
|
Photo 7808, Jackie Joyce helps get ready for opening day
|
Amy Hunzeker took on washing the front windows
|
As soon as Kim Vrtiska installed outdoor speakers above our door, we played music by terry Kalina & band. Joe stehlik & his little sister Merilee stehlik took a spin on the sidewalk. a couple of days later, joe commented, "any time there's dancing in the streets of table rock, it's a good day!" we agree!
A WEEK BEFORE THE EXHIBIT OPENS, BELOW, BOB BLECHA DEMONSTRATES THE SOUND OF A "SHELF" ACCORDION HE HAS LOANED FOR THE EXHIBITION
BELOW, ROGER VONDRASEK EXPLORES THE WORKINGS OF "EDDIE WHO," A PUPPET BUILT BY JOE SOCHOR & DAD. NOTED BANDLEADER EDDIE HANNA WAS JOE'S HIGH SCHOOL CLASSMATE (CLASS OF 1945) AND THE NAME EDDIE WHO SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN A GENTLE POKE AT EDDIE HANNA ROGER WAS NOT ABLE TO GET EDDIE WHO OPERATIONAL, BUT BELIEVES HE CAN DO IT. FOR NOW, EDDIE WHO IS IN A DISPLAY CABINET.
grand opening: memorial day
weekend 2019
Photo 7804, Larry Blecha (Class of 1957) & TR Bob Blecha (Class of 1953) play accordion at the front door of the Argus. In the background are Ken Ahnholz (Class of 1962) & wife, and peeking around corner is Bob's wife Fran.
Shirley Cacek, Aksamit -- great granddaughter of Albert Wopata, who organized the Bunker Hill Bohemian Band in 1885 -- he's #7, far right.
Photo 7803, Bob Stepanek at Pud Kalina's bass horn. Bob has been inducted into the Sokol Omaha Hall of Fame. He is a bass player, too.
Donna Svanda & Bob Stepanek in front of the picture gallery. Both are musicians -- Donna on drums & Bob on bass horn, and they still play. Often they play with Donna's son Greg in the Greg Blecha Trio.
|
2016 interviews of donna & bob, at an anniversary dance for bob & fran blecha |
Photo 7806, Chuck & Cheryl Rabstejnek at the museum, May 2019. If you can see the screen of the slide show on the TV in the far mid-right of the picture, it just so happens that there is a picture of Chuck's grandpa Charlie Rabstejnek flashing by. Charlie was a well-known area musician, beloved for the sweet sound of his double bell euphonium.
Visitors Loren Joe Stehlik & Jack Kalina enthusiastically talk over old times. Joe played in several bands, beginning with a stint with the Trecek Orchestra when he was just 12. He usually played trombone, but also handled the bass horn. Jack was a bass horn player, as was his dad Pud Kalina, whose bass horn Jack lent for the exhibition.
|
|
