R4 / Jakub Hrůša and Czech Music ⬩ Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra

Czech music has many faces, and this evening with the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra offers a wide-ranging arc across generations of composers, from the striking interwar figure Vítězslava Kaprálová to a brand-new work by Jiří Gemrot. The programme brings together melodic invention and rich orchestral colour, qualities that give Czech music its unmistakable character.

The concert opens with Suite rustica by Vítězslava Kaprálová, a fresh and rhythmically lively work inspired by folk musicality and the composer’s youthful energy. It is followed by Piano Concerto in E minor by Vítězslav Novák, which combines Romantic breadth with a virtuoso solo part performed by Jan Bartoš. The second half of the evening brings the world premiere of Jiří Gemrot’s Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra, a work written for Irvin Venyš that expands the contemporary Czech concertante repertoire. The programme concludes with Sinfonietta for Large Orchestra by Karel Ančerl, a brilliant orchestral composition that reveals the lesser-known yet distinctive compositional voice of the celebrated conductor.

Jakub Hrůša is among the most prominent Czech conductors of today. He is Chief Conductor of the Bamberg Symphony and Music Director of the Royal Opera House in London. He regularly collaborates with leading orchestras and opera houses in Europe and further afield and appears on the world’s most prestigious stages. In 2025, he received the Medal of Merit in the field of the arts from the President of the Czech Republic, and in 2026 he was named Conductor of the Year by the magazine Musical America. His interpretations are admired for their stylistic refinement, expressive depth, and sense of dramatic architecture; Czech music holds a special place in his repertoire.

Jan Bartoš is a sought-after pianist with a strong affinity for the Czech repertoire. He performs on major concert stages at home and abroad and collaborates with leading orchestras and conductors. His interpretations are distinguished by stylistic sensitivity and a finely coloured piano tone. 

Clarinetist Irvin Venyš appears as both a soloist and chamber musician on concert stages across Europe and overseas and has received numerous awards at international competitions. In his interpretations, he devotes himself both to the classical clarinet repertoire and to music of the 20th and 21st centuries, frequently presenting new works by contemporary composers. He also teaches at the Faculty of Music and Dance of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague.

This December evening of inspiring musical contrasts– from the youthful energy of Kaprálová to the world premiere of Jiří Gemrot – unfolds under the baton of conductor Jakub Hrůša. You are warmly invited.