PhilHarmonia Octet Prague

„Czech school of wind instruments“ has been represented very remarkably by „PhilHarmonia Octet“ since 2007 when this ensemble was founded by Vilém Veverka and Václav Vonášek. One generation of Czech players noticed and influenced each other already at school (The Academy of Performing Arts in Prague). The aim of the ensemble has been to compare Czech musical mastery to modern European musical styles and trends, to pursue the best Czech classical music can offer, to broaden their repertoire and the last but not least to enhance the Czech interpretative standard.

As the musical mastery is so characteristic for every member of this ensemble, PhilHarmonia Octet Prague members accept challanges by way of international competitions whose winners they often achieve to be. Most of them also graduated from Universities all around the world and pursue careers of solo players.

PhilHarmonia Octet Prague members are active in prominent European orchestras e.g. Berlin Philharmonic, WDR Köln or Czech Philharmonic. With the very unique interpretation, the ensemble works through different styles and epochs from the second part of the 18th century till the beginning of the new millennium.

On the top of that, the ensemble stands-out in performing many compositions in increased number of musicians i.e. W. A. Mozart / Serenade in E flat major „Gran Partita“, A. Dvořák / Serenade in D minor for Wind Instruments, Op. 44. The motivation of the ensemble is to seek more well-choosen adaptations e.g. (M. P. Mussorgsky / Pictures at an Exhibition).

The name of the ensemble could be explained in two ways: by the original meaning of the word „philharmonic“ – a fondness for harmony, and by the term „harmony“, used for this kind of ensembles since the time of classicism. PhilHarmonia Octet Prague has local as well as a worldwide reputation.

The topical album of the ensemble from the year 2017 (Supraphon label) „Music for Wind Instruments“ with compositions of L. v. Beethoven, G. Klein a W. A. Mozart is being considered the best Czech recording of its kind. In 2023, the Prague Philharmonia Octet Prague in collaboration with the outstanding German baritone Peter Schöne released a remrkable album featuring a selection from Gustav Mahler's cycle Des Knaben Wunderhorn.

Vilém Veverka – oboe, Monika Fürbach Boušková – oboe, English horn
Irvin Venyš, Karel Dohnal – clarinet, Václav Vonášek, Martin Petrák – bassoon, Přemysl Vojta, Ondřej Vrabec – French horn

www.philharmonia-octet.com