Czech Philharmonic
Czechia’s leading symphony orchestra, the Czech Philharmonic, was awarded Orchestra of the Year at the prestigious Gramophone Classical Music Awards 2024 in London.
The first ever concert by the Czech Philharmonic took place on Saturday 4 January 1896 in Prague's Rudolfinum. Antonín Dvořák, the most famous Czech composer of all time, took to the stage and conducted his works. The history of the Czech Philharmonic features many great figures from Czechia and around the world.
In addition to classical music, the Czech Philharmonic also offers audiences some unusual artistic experiences that can be enjoyed from riverbanks, bridges, or ships. The official home of the Czech Philharmonic is Prague’s Rudolfinum.
Czech National Symphony Orchestra (CNSO)
One of the busiest orchestras in Europe, it covers a wide range of genres, from classical to film scores and jazz to musicals. It is hugely popular with audiences both at home and abroad. Some of the prominent conductors, composers, and directors who have worked with the orchestra include film score geniuses Ennio Morricone, Danny Elfman, Hans Zimmer, filmmaker Quentin Tarantino, and jazzman Chick Corea.
It is based in the Smetana Hall of the Municipal House in Prague. Some of the studio recordings the orchestra has worked on include the Christmas album of the famous tenors Plácido Domingo, and Vittorio Grigolo and the music for Tarantino's western "The Hateful Eight". It was composed by Ennio Morricone.
Prague Symphony Orchestra (FOK)
The abbreviated name of this orchestra, FOK, comes from the words film-opera-koncert. That’s because the ensemble initially recorded film scores and played for radio shows. It has performed numerous times in many countries around Europe and in America, as well as South America, Turkey, Oman, and China.
The FOK brand is known for organizing chamber concerts. Prague audiences have come to love the series of chamber and early music played in the Church of Sts. Simon and Jude. FOK also traditionally holds a series of piano recitals in the impressive Dvořák Hall of the Rudolfinum, as well as concerts in the beautiful Convent of St Agnes in Prague's Old Town.
PKF - Prague Philharmonia
This orchestra, which has enjoyed success all over the world, was founded in 1994 at the initiative of world-famous conductor Jiří Bělohlávek. Until 2015 it was led by Jakub Hrůša, a renowned Czech conductor acclaimed with prestigious awards; the Prague Philharmonic is now led by Emmanuel Villaume.
Brno Philharmonic Orchestra
The musical roots of this ensemble grew out of the traditions of Janáček's amateur Czech Symphony Orchestra. It gradually came to be a universally acclaimed Janáček specialist and exporter, but since the early 1960s, when the Brno Philharmonic began to perform regularly at prestigious venues abroad, it has gained great artistic renown not only at home also throughout Europe. The internationally successful Brno Philharmonic is currently led by American Dennis Russell Davies.
Pavel Haas Quartet
The Pavel Haas Quartet, which specializes in Czech music, performs in some of the leading concert halls around the world. It has eight albums to his credit, and all its CDs have won major international awards, including two BBC Music Magazine Awards and six Gramophone Awards. The ensemble is named after Czech composer Pavel Haas, whose legacy includes three magnificent string quartets.
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