The Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra: Home on the most beautiful stages
The Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra (SOČR) is at home not only in Studio 1, but also on the most prestigious Czech concert stages: in the Rudolfinum, the Municipal House, and the Bethlehem Chapel. At the same time, it performs just as naturally on international stages, where over decades it has built a reputation for exceptional vitality, tonal culture, and an ability to present Czech music in its best light.
Rudolfinum: SOČR’s main concert home
Today’s concert life of the orchestra is firmly connected with Prague’s Rudolfinum, one of the most important European concert halls. The Dvořák Hall provides ideal acoustic conditions for large symphonic programmes as well as for live recording. The Rudolfinum is where SOČR regularly presents its subscription series, hosts top soloists, and premieres works by contemporary composers. For the orchestra, it is a space that combines tradition with modern operation and allows it to present itself in its full sonic range.
Municipal House: an Art Nouveau jewel and ceremonial stage
An equally important venue is the Municipal House, whose Smetana Hall belongs among the most beautiful Art Nouveau concert spaces in Europe. SOČR performs here regularly and, for example, opened the 2026 Prague Spring Festival here — a symbolic confirmation of its position among the leading Czech orchestras. The monumental space of Smetana Hall gives concerts a festive atmosphere and allows the orchestra to present large vocal-instrumental projects as well as representative programmes for international audiences.
Bethlehem Chapel: a more intimate dimension of the orchestra
Alongside the large halls, SOČR also regularly appears in the Bethlehem Chapel, which offers a more intimate setting suitable for chamber projects, sacred music, or special series. This historic space gives concerts a unique atmosphere and allows the orchestra to present itself in a different, more delicate sonic profile. The Bethlehem Chapel thus complements the Rudolfinum and the Municipal House and expands the range of places where audiences can experience the orchestra.
First steps into the world: Poland 1949
SOČR had to wait until 1949 for its first foreign tour. Under the direction of Karel Ančerl and Alois Klíma, the orchestra gave nine concerts in Poland, with pianist Věra Řepková performing Chopin’s Piano Concerto in F minor. The success was immediate, followed by three short tours to the German Democratic Republic and another trip to Poland. The Dresden press wrote at the time: “We have come to know an excellent orchestra, outstanding especially in the strings… The orchestra has therefore conquered Dresden.”
The 1960s: opening to the West and major tours
The easing of international tensions in the 1960s brought new opportunities. In 1961, the orchestra set off by train on a ten-day tour to West Germany, Switzerland, Italy, and France. Reviews were enthusiastic: “Guests from the land of old musicians have upheld the deserved reputation of a highly regarded musical ensemble,” wrote the German press.
A year later followed a tour of Austria and Italy, during which the orchestra gave fourteen concerts in nineteen days. The Italian newspaper Il Resto del Carlino wrote: “The Prague ensemble is a collective distinguished above all by a vitality that takes one’s breath away.”
In 1965, a special train carrying an entire cultural delegation — SOČR, the Czech Radio Choir, and the National Theatre Ballet — travelled to Italy. In Cagliari, three thousand spectators attended the concert. A year later, the orchestra visited Germany, France, Great Britain, and Italy, and Frankfurter Rundschau wrote: “The people of Prague can be proud of their symphonists.”
Normalisation and limited opportunities
After 1968, opportunities for foreign travel were significantly reduced. The orchestra mainly performed in Poland and other allied countries, with only occasional trips to Italy or West Germany. Nevertheless, it maintained a high artistic standard and prepared for the next stage of its international career.
Vladimír Válek: return among the European elite
A turning point came with the arrival of chief conductor Vladimír Válek in the 1980s. His reputation and demanding work with the orchestra reopened doors to international stages. In 1985, SOČR made its first digital broadcast to Japan, and a year later visited the country for the first time. This was followed by tours in Western Europe and renewed contacts with prestigious festivals. Válek thus brought SOČR back among orchestras invited to the world’s leading concert halls.
After 1989: the world opens up
After the Velvet Revolution, the orchestra’s opportunities expanded dramatically. SOČR performed across Europe, the United States, Japan, China, South Korea, and Taiwan. Japan became almost a regular destination — most recently, under conductor Petr Popelka, the orchestra completed a three-week tour there in 2024.
At the beginning of 2026, SOČR undertook an extensive tour across five Western European countries: Germany, Austria, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. The interest of organisers and audiences confirmed that the orchestra continues to hold a strong position in international competition.
