About the choir
The Kühn Children’s Choir was founded in 1932 by Jan Kühn, a distinguished singer, director and choirmaster. He originally established it to meet the needs of Czechoslovak Radio in Prague. Owing to its exceptional quality, the choir was subsequently incorporated into the Czech Philharmonic in 1952, of which it remained a part for a full forty years.
The choir is now one of the most prominent Czech artistic ensembles, known not only in Europe but across all five continents. It has performed in Japan, the United States, Canada, Mexico, Singapore, Malaysia, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Throughout its history, it has nurtured thousands of talented children and instilled in them a love of music and the arts. Its most gifted members have gone on to become prominent artists – conductors, directors, composers, singers and instrumentalists. With its tradition and the breadth of its artistic scope, it is a unique artistic institution of its kind, not only in the Czech Republic but also in Europe.
Jan Kühn with his wife
Entry in the Prague 3 Book of Honour
Its exceptional artistic reputation is borne out by the numerous awards and official honours the choir has received, including the 1998 European Grand Prix and first prize at the highly prestigious choral competition in Tolosa, Spain. The choir is regularly invited to major music festivals and concert tours. In addition to its own concerts, it collaborates regularly with leading orchestras and opera houses. Its collaboration with the National Theatre in Prague, where the children take on roles in operas, has been ongoing since 1936.
Among the choir’s greatest achievements are performances at La Scala in Milan, Carnegie Hall in New York, the Tchaikovsky Hall at the Moscow Conservatoire, and the Bregenzer Festspiele, amongst others. The Kühn Children’s Choir has won a number of international choral competitions (Paris, Princeton, Wuppertal, Tolosa, Arezzo), of which its three victories at the prestigious competition in Tolosa, Spain, in 1998, 2008 and 2013 are a unique achievement on a global scale. Throughout its history, the choir has made over 50 recordings of Czech and international music. It has also appeared in countless radio and television programmes.
The Kühn Children’s Choir has a distinctive sound which, from the very first listen, captivates with the naturalness of the children’s voices, their clarity and refinement. Since the choir’s inception, these qualities have inspired a number of outstanding Czech composers to write works specifically for the Kühn Children’s Choir.
The choir currently has over nine hundred members, making it the largest choir in the Czech Republic. The choir’s membership base is truly broad, with children joining from the age of three. The choir’s top concert section is, in terms of age and sound, more akin to a youth choir.
