Concertino Praga Celebrates 60 Years: Connecting Generations of Musicians Across Europe
Sixty years of discovering young talent, extraordinary musical encounters, and unforgettable concerts. The Concertino Praga International Radio Competition is celebrating a remarkable anniversary. Czech Radio, together with the Academy of Classical Music, has prepared a year-long programme featuring festive concerts in Prague and performances by competition laureates on stages across Europe.
Anniversary Celebrations Culminate at Prague’s Rudolfinum
The highlight of the anniversary year took place on Sunday, 18 October 2026. The celebrations began with a festive matinée at the Bohuslav Martinů Hall of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, featuring successful participants from recent editions of the competition – Adam Znamirovský, Viktor Stocker, Trio Vyšehrad, and Duo Bubreg. The programme also included the opening of an exhibition documenting the competition’s sixty-year history and a gathering of laureates, organisers, and friends of Concertino Praga.
The evening was dedicated to a gala concert at the Rudolfinum’s Dvořák Hall. Accompanied by the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Robert Kružík, distinguished musicians representing several generations of laureates shared the stage – Dmitry Sitkovetsky, Václav Hudeček, Radek Baborák, Ivo Kahánek, Daniel Matejča, and Filippo Lombardi. The concert symbolically connected the competition’s rich history with its vibrant present.
Celebrating on European Stages
The 60th anniversary celebrations have extended far beyond Prague. Throughout the year, young laureates have performed internationally, with concerts in Sofia, Paris, Naarden in the Netherlands, and Bratislava. These performances have offered valuable opportunities to reach international audiences, establish new connections, and gain important artistic experience.
A major part of the anniversary programme is the Czech-Austrian concert tour in November, bringing together Concertino Praga laureates and young Austrian musicians. Following performances in Trmice (3 November), Tábor (4 November), and Czech Radio’s Studio S1 in Prague (6 November), the musicians will travel to Austria. In cooperation with Jeunesse, they will perform in Vienna, Zwettl, Gmunden, and St. Johann in Tirol from 7 to 10 November. The Austrian ensembles Gugg Piano Duo and Maria Sotriffer Trio will also take part in the project.
The European tour will culminate in Brussels. On 11 November, clarinettist Matthew Stephen Hockaday, cellist Naďa Strnadová, and pianist Adam Znamirovský will perform at Prague House. The following day, Matthew Stephen Hockaday and Adam Znamirovský will join the Brussels Sinfonietta orchestra, conducted by Leon Blekh, for a concert at the Brussels Parliament.
The anniversary year celebrates not only the competition’s rich history but, above all, its enduring mission: to discover exceptional young musicians, support their artistic development, and open doors to concert stages both at home and abroad.
Even after sixty years, Concertino Praga remains a place where great musical journeys begin.
