130 Years of the Czech Philharmonic, one of the symbols of Czech culture

When Antonín Dvořák conducted the Czech Philharmonic’s very first concert on January 4, 1896, few could have foreseen that it was an orchestra destined to become one of the symbols of Czech culture.  

Standing on the podium of Prague’s Rudolfinum that evening was Antonín Dvořák himself—the greatest Czech composer of all time—conducting a programme made up exclusively of his own works. The audience heard the Third Slavonic Rhapsody, the world premiere of the first five Biblical Songs, the Othello overture and, finally, Symphony No. 9 “From the New World”.

With this concert, Dvořák not only opened the history of the orchestra, but also bestowed upon it what his contemporaries described as “the most emphatic and sincere proof his favour”. That favour became one of the cornerstones on which the Czech Philharmonic would grow.

How and why the Philharmonic was founded

Program of the first concert of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, January 4, 1896|Photo: Wikimedia Commons, public domain

The idea of a major Czech symphony orchestra had been taking shape for a long time. As early as the 1860s, Bedřich Smetana dreamed of regular symphonic concerts for Czech audiences. In 1882, the “Society for the Maintenance of a Large Orchestra of the City of Prague” was established, but it was not until 7 June 1894 that the Prague Governor’s Office approved the statutes of a new association: the Czech Philharmonic. Its mission was twofold—to elevate musical life in Prague and to provide pension support for players of the National Theatre orchestra and their families.

Photo: Martina Schneibergová, Radio Prague International

Until 1901, the Philharmonic was essentially a leisure activity for National Theatre musicians. Members were required to attend rehearsals and concerts—being more than 15 minutes late incurred a fine of one gold coin, while missing a concert cost five times as much. At that time, the orchestra had no permanent chief conductor; concerts were led by figures such as Adolf Čech, Mořic Anger, Karel Kovařovic, Oskar Nedbal and Zdeněk Fibich.

An orchestra present at every key moment

The Czech Philharmonic soon became not only a musical institution, but also a witness to—and participant in—Czech history.

• 1918 – present at the birth of independent Czechoslovakia.
• 1945 – Rafael Kubelík conducted the famous Thanksgiving Concert celebrating the end of WWII.
• 1969 – the orchestra performed at concerts commemorating Jan Palach.
• 1989 – its members openly aligned themselves with the civic stance of the Velvet Revolution.
• 1990 – the symbolic return of Rafael Kubelík after 40 years in exile; in June 1990 he led the concert “Rafael Kubelík to the Nation” in Prague’s Old Town Square.
• The orchestra was shaped by conductors who became legends: Václav Talich, Karel Ančerl and Václav Neumann. In the modern era, its direction was profoundly influenced by the return of Jiří Bělohlávek in 2012, and since 2018 by the tenure of Semyon Bychkov. Under his leadership, the orchestra has moved to the forefront of international critical attention. In 2024, it was named Orchestra of the Year in Gramophone magazine’s awards and appeared to great acclaim at Carnegie Hall.

Czech Philharmonic Orchestra in Carnegie Hall|Photo: The Czech Philharmonic Orchestra

130 years on: the Philharmonic at its peak

Semyon Bychkov|Photo: Petra Hajská, The Czech Philharmonic Orchestra

The Czech Philharmonic will mark the 130th anniversary of its founding with two concerts on April 1st and 2nd,  2026, conducted by Semyon Bychkov. The programme will include the first two movements of Dvořák’s “New World” Symphony and two iconic works by Bedřich Smetana—the overture to The Bartered Bride and The Moldau. The concerts will be accompanied by projections of archival materials recalling the orchestra’s rich history.

A week later, Pentatone will release a complete recording of Mahler’s finished symphonies—a project Bychkov and the orchestra have been working on since 2018.

The anniversary season, which began with a concert in September 2025, features guest appearances by leading conductors including Zubin Mehta, Jakub Hrůša and Simon Rattle, a residency by pianist Evgeny Kissin, and tours across Europe and Asia.