There’s a viola hanging on the wall in a museum in Prague’s New Town.

There doesn’t appear to be anything special about the instrument — no ornate carvings or extra strings — but a small card above the instrument identifies the instrument as Viola Antonina Dvoraka, or the classical composer Antonín Dvorak’s viola.

In addition to being Prague’s most famous composer, Dvorak also played a key role in the development of American classical music.

It’s no coincidence that the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra launched its season Friday in Heinz Hall with a symphony by Dvorak, the No. 8, which ended in a blaze of brass fanfare that heralded more music to come.

The score

This season, performing arts organizations around the country are marking America’s 250th anniversary with a variety of special

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