In January 1844 Proksch agreed to take Smetana as a pupil, and at the same time the young musician's financial difficulties were eased when he secured an appointment as music teacher to the family of a nobleman, Count Thun.
I januar 1844 accepterede Proksch at tage Smetana som elev og samtidig lettedes den unge musikers økonomiske vanskeligheder, da han sikrede sig en stilling som musiklærer for grev Thuns familie.