From 1892 to 1895, Dvorak took a position as the Director of the National Conservatory of Music in New York City at the invitation of the founder Jeannette Thurber. It was hoped that Dvorak could help the composers in the United States create a uniquely American symphonic style in the same way he developed and popularized orchestral music based on Czech folk music traditions.
Major works to come out of Dvorak's tenure in America included the 9th Symphony (From The New World), the 12th String Quartet (nicknamed the "American" Quartet), and the Cello Concerto.
Dvorak's influence helped lay the groundwork for establishing a national musical style in the United States for symphonic composition. His efforts were a key factor in the development of the next generation of American composers such as George Gershwin and Aaron Copland.
