Conductor Zdenek Mácal was active internationally as well as in his native Czech Republic. Mácal landed a post as conductor of the Moravian Philharmonic in 1963, remaining there until 1967. In 1972, Mácal made a guest conducting appearance with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and from then on, work in the U.S. formed a substantial part of his career. In 1986, he became music director of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, making a recording with that group of Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 ("Choral"). In 1993, Mácal became music director of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, remaining there until 2002 and leading it in several recordings. In 2003, Mácal returned home and took a position as chief conductor of the Czech Philharmonic, remaining there until 2007. He died in Prague on October 25, 2023, at the age of 87.