History
The Prague Philharmonic Children’s Choir was founded in 1932 by Jan Kühn, a prominent singer, director, and choir conductor. Today, the choir has over nine hundred members, making it the largest children’s choir in the Czech Republic. Its membership is exceptionally broad, with children joining from the age of three. The most advanced Concert Division, in terms of both age and sound, approaches the level of a youth choir.
Over the decades, the Prague Philharmonic Children’s Choir has instilled a love of music and art in thousands of talented children. It possesses a distinctive sound that immediately captivates with the natural quality of children’s voices, purity, and refinement. The choir has inspired many outstanding Czech composers to create works specifically for it. Today, the Prague Philharmonic Children’s Choir is one of the most significant artistic ensembles in the Czech Republic, recognized not only in Europe but across all five continents.
2025
Guest performances at the Paris National Opera – The Cunning Little Vixen by Leoš Janáček and Gianni Schicchi by Giacomo Puccini.
Participation in a festival in Halle, Germany.
Arthur Honegger – Jeanne d’Arc au bûcher with the Czech Philharmonic.
Gustav Mahler – Symphonies No. 8 with the Czech Philharmonic – concert performance and recording.
2024
Smetana Days in Plzeň.
Performance of the opera The Cunning Little Vixen with the Czech Philharmonic, conducted by Jakub Hrůša.
Concerts celebrating the Year of Czech Music.
Premiere of the newly composed children’s opera Butterflies from Terezín by French conductor and composer Charles Baumstark as part of the Opera Nova project.
Premiere of Verdi’s Otello and the renewed premiere of Janáček’s The Cunning Little Vixen at the National Theatre.
Exchange visit with the Grazer Kapellknaben in Graz.
2023
90th anniversary of the Prague Philharmonic Children’s Choir – gala concerts at the Church of St. Simon and Jude and at the Rudolfinum.
Special guest at the Choir Festival in Hradec Králové.
Recording of four works by Petr Eben for a Czech Television program.
Premiere of the opera Don Buoso at the National Theatre.
Performance of Juraj Filas’ lyrical cantata The Last Dream of the Old Oak with the Plzeň Philharmonic.
2022
Concert for the Czech Chamber Music Society at the Martinů Hall, Prague HAMU – premiere of the complete work Terni Psalmi, three psalms composed by Slavomír Hořínka specifically for the choir, a cappella.
Release of the CD Time of Christmas.
Major spring concert at the Rudolfinum – premiere of Jiří Gemrot’s Thanksgiving.
Release of the CD with book Sing with Us 3.
2021
Recording of the CD Sing with Us 3.
Charity concert Light for Světluška.
Advent concerts at the National Theatre.
Christmas triple concert at the Estates Theatre.
2020
Recording of the Christmas fairy tale About the Christmas Star for Czech Television.
Gala concert with the Music of the Castle Guard at Bethlehem Chapel.
Bohuslav Martinů – Špalíček (concert performance – National Theatre).
2019
Participation in the Easter Festival in Moscow.
Hector Berlioz – Te Deum at Prague Spring Festival.
Solo concert of the Concert Division at Smetanova Litomyšl.
Choir Art Festival in Hradec Králové.
Mahler’s Symphony No. 3 with the Israel Philharmonic and Prague Symphony Choir, conducted by Zubin Mehta at the Dvořák Prague Festival.
Premiere of Rodion Shchedrin’s opera Lolita.
2018
Recording of Ivana Loudová’s children’s cantata based on the book by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry for Czech Radio.
Premieres of Benjamin Britten’s opera Billy Budd and Jules Massenet’s Werther at the National Theatre.
Participation in the Voix du Monde festival in Nancy, France.
Concert tour along the US East Coast celebrating the 100th anniversary of Czechoslovakia.
Birthday concert at Prague HAMU – 85th birthday of Artistic Director and Conductor Jiří Chvála.
Solo concert of the Concert Division at the St. Wenceslas Music Festival.
2017
Gala concert celebrating the 85th season of the Prague Philharmonic Children’s Choir with the world-renowned male vocal sextet The King’s Singers from the UK.
Concert performance of H. Berlioz’s musical fresco The Damnation of Faust at the National Theatre.
Release of the CD with book for youngest listeners Sing with Us 2: The Most Beautiful Christmas Carols.
Recording of Jiří Gemrot’s cantata Prayer from the Darkness for Czech Radio.
Music video for Benjamin Britten’s This Little Babe with leading Czech harpist Kateřina Englichová.
Publication of Jan Kühn’s monograph (Jiří Pokora).
2016
80th anniversary of the artistic partnership with the National Theatre – semi-staged performance of Benjamin Britten’s opera Noye’s Fludde.
Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 8, Smetanova Litomyšl International Festival.
Carl Orff: Carmina Burana, Český Krumlov International Festival.
Release of Benjamin Britten’s CD A Ceremony of Carols with leading Czech harpist Kateřina Englichová.
Concert tour in Sweden (Malmö, Stockholm, Bottnaryd, Ystad, Lund).
2015
Successful tour to Australia and New Zealand, including performances at the famous Sydney Opera House.
Release of the choir’s first-ever CD for young listeners with folk songs.
2014
First overseas tour to South Africa; concert trips to South Korea and Russia.
Release of a profile 2-CD set and DVD of the musical-dance program Spring Festivities.
Premiere of the full-length documentary The Kühn Phenomenon, produced by Czech Television.
2013
Longtime conductor Jiří Chvála celebrates his 80th birthday.
In Toulouse, Spain, under conductor Petr Louženský, the choir wins first place for the third time in its history – an achievement unmatched by any other choir worldwide.
2012
First trip of the preparatory division to China.
The choir grandly celebrates its 80th anniversary.
