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What exactly is the aim of your research?
I focus on the regional history of choral music, specifically on Hlahol of Pilsen. No comprehensive monograph or similarly extensive work has ever been devoted to this choir. Authors of academic publications have often tended to focus on the "golden era", the highlights and greatest achievements. But alongside that, there is also the everyday history and many stories that deserve to be told. In the case of Hlahol, articles often mention, for example, that the choir won a competition in Paris and similar achievements. That is quite a popular topic in the literature. But the choir existed for almost a hundred years, and this was only one event in its long history. A complete account of the entire story, from its founding to its dissolution, has never been written. And that is exactly what I am trying to do.

Why did you choose Hlahol in particular?
It combines the things I enjoy. I have a master's degree in teaching history and music education, and I sing in a choir myself, so I feel close to the choral environment. I liked the idea of not focusing on just one field; combining music and history made sense. Hlahol also belongs to the same historical period as my bachelor's and master's theses, namely the late 19th and early 20th centuries, so I already had some insight into that environment. It is part of Pilsen's regional history, which means certain personalities appear repeatedly to some extent. I had already become familiar with archival research and learned how to work with materials from that period.

Why did you decide to pursue a PhD instead of going straight into professional practice after your master's degree?
My previous studies shaped my motivation. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to publish during my studies at the Department of History. Thanks to that experience, I realized that I might have some inner potential for this kind of work. It motivated me to pursue academic research and publishing, even though I was also really looking forward to entering professional practice. Being a teacher had always been a big dream of mine. I had already decided back in primary school that I wanted to become one.

What does a typical workday of a PhD student in your field look like?
It varies a lot depending on the day of the week. Since I also work at the department as an assistant and department secretary, I naturally have to fulfill my job responsibilities. So I divide my time according to necessity and priorities. When I am at work, I give one hundred percent to my job, and when I am working on my dissertation, I give one hundred percent to that as well. Then I sit down, open my "computer kingdom" with several screens displaying digital archives, spread books and notes around me, and gradually work my way through everything. I process a wide range of materials - memorial books, collections of newspaper and magazine clippings, reviews, but also administrative documents such as financial reports, annual reports, concert programs, and similar records.

What should someone know before applying for a PhD program?
It is a completely different form of study compared to a bachelor's or master's degree. There is a major difference in both the difficulty and how you feel within the system. You are still a student, but you no longer really perceive yourself that way. When you spend a long time immersed in your dissertation topic, on the one hand, you love it because you know it better than anyone else, but on the other hand, you also start to hate it a little. PhD studies are all about motivation, self-management, and time management.

How much do you think finances influence students' decisions to pursue and continue a PhD?
In the past, quite significantly. When I started, the scholarship was around nine or ten thousand Czech crowns a month. Nowadays, that is not even enough to cover rent. If my parents had not supported me at the time, I probably would not have managed it. It was impossible to do only a PhD unless you also had another job. Only after I received a university position did I start earning roughly the same as a secondary school teacher. And now that the scholarship has been increased as well, the situation is genuinely much better. That could motivate more students to pursue a PhD.

What do you think should change in the way PhD studies function in the Czech Republic?
I think the study system itself is well set up. It has order, structure, and it works. What I would change are rather the things connected to bureaucracy and the functioning of the system. We often deal with things in an unnecessarily complicated way, even though they could be solved much more simply. In addition, some PhD students do not feel fully prepared at the beginning to operate within the system. Academic preparation is one thing, but understanding the system, bureaucracy, and administration is another, and that is something most people only learn along the way.

Where do you see yourself after completing your PhD?
My path is already somewhat shaped by the fact that I work here part-time as an assistant. I very much hope that it will continue. A person can pursue a PhD purely out of personal initiative and for personal growth. But now that I am here and investing my time into it, I would be very disappointed if I could not contribute in some way to the life of the university and continue teaching. I would really like to stay at the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen.


Three words that, in your opinion, describe a PhD:
Work, self-management, and art.

The best advice you received from your supervisor:
Scientific work is not about boundaries.

The biggest myth about PhD students:
The idea of someone sitting locked away somewhere, twenty-four hours a day, doing science.

One thing you would change about PhD studies starting tomorrow:
I would introduce greater clarity and stability into the system. Otherwise, though, the PhD system itself works well.


Are you pursuing a follow-up master's degree and interested in science? Stay and discover. Applications for doctoral studies at the Faculty of Education can be submitted until 30 May 2026.