Josef Proksch or Joseph Proksch (4 August 1794, Reichenberg (now Liberec) â 20 December 1864, Prague) was a Bohemian-German pianist and composer. His daughter, Marie Proksch, was also a well-known pianist and composer.
Proksch, who became blind at the age of 13, was a pupil of Jan AntonÃÂn Koà ¾eluh. In 1830, Proksch opened the Musikbildungsanstalt (Music Academy) in Prague. His teaching method of having several students play simultaneously during piano lessons was continued for over a hundred years. His most famous student was Bedà Âich Smetana, whom Proksch taught piano and music theory from 1843 to 1847.
Besides pedagogical works for piano, Proksch wrote a concerto for three pianos, piano sonatas, masses, and cantatas, and adapted numerous orchestral works to four to eight pianos for use in his lessons.