R1 / Holst’s Planets ⬩ Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra

The first October concert of the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra brings a quiet philosophical meditation, the world premiere of a new Czech composition, and a striking orchestral vision of the planets of the solar system. The three works of the evening are united by humanity’s desire to look beyond the boundaries of the known world.

The American composer Charles Ives wrote of his piece The Unanswered Question that it is “a musical landscape in which the solo trumpet poses the eternal question of existence against the silence and answers that cannot resolve it.” After this philosophically tinged work comes the first public performance of Jan Kučera’s Violin Concerto, written for the violinist David Pokorný.

The second half of the evening opens a gateway to the cosmos of Gustav Holst. His seven-movement suite The Planets presents a fascinating journey through the universe – from the warlike Mars through the lyrical Venus to the mysterious Neptune. In the closing movement, the orchestra will be joined by Carmina Bohemica and the Czech Radio Children’s Choir under the direction of Věra Hrdinková, whose evocative singing creates a distinctive atmosphere.

Jan Kučera is a conductor, composer, and pianist who can be placed among the notable figures of today’s musical scene. He studied composition and conducting at the Prague Conservatoire and at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, and made his debut with the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra. He has collaborated with leading Czech orchestras and opera houses and served as Chief Conductor of the Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra. His compositional work ranges from operas and ballets to symphonies and chamber music. He is known for his ability to combine musical tradition with modern expressive means, lending his interpretations freshness and a distinctive musical character.

David Pokorný is the leader of the second violin section of the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra and also appears as a soloist on major concert stages in the Czech Republic and abroad. He is also the long-standing primarius of the Epoque Quartet, an ensemble that combines a classical repertoire with jazz and crossover elements.

Listen to this richly varied programme and allow the music to carry your imagination into the cosmos.