YEAR OF CZECH MUSIC 2024

Years ending with four have a great significance in Czech music. Strangely enough, they often coincide with the anniversaries of the birth, death, or creation of key works of the most prominent Czech composers, such as Antonín Dvořák (1841–⁠1904), Leoš Janáček (1854–⁠1928), Bohuslav Martinů (1890–⁠1959) or Josef Suk (1874–⁠1935). This year also marks the 200th anniversary of Smetana's birth and 140 years since his death.

The Smetana200 project will include the performing of stage and concert works, a musicological conference and a national music competition. One of the aims of the project is to promote the works of Bedřich Smetana abroad.

The ambassadors of the Year of Czech Music are Gabriela Beňačková, Pavel Černoch, Klára Gibišová, Jakub Hrůša, Jiří Kylián, Josef Špaček and the Pavel Haas Quartet. The logo of the Year of Czech Music and the Smetana200 project was created by Studio Najbrt.

The record label Supraphon will also contribute to the Year of Czech Music with several projects throughout the year. Already in December 2023, for example, the album of Antonín Dvořák's Slavonic Dances performed by the Prague Symphony Orchestra under a baton of Tomáš Brauner was released. This year another significant recordings will be produced: Dvořák's complete works for violin and piano performed by Jiří Vodička and David Mareček, Smetana's piano trios performed by Trio Bohémo, Smetana's Czech Dances performed by Ivo Kahánek and a special 16-CD box with the complete operatic works of Bedřich Smetana.

You can find more details HERE.