The Year of Czech Music

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The Year of Czech Music is a unique event dating back to 1924 when Bedřich Smetana’s 100th anniversary was celebrated. With only a few exceptions, the Year of Czech Music has been celebrated every decade ever since and has gradually expanded its dramaturgy to include the anniversaries of other Czech composers and musicians (Antonín Dvořák, Josef Suk, Leoš Janáček, Bohuslav Martinů, etc.).

Joining in the celebrations for the third time, the Czech Centres will continue to include music in the programming of their international network.

Unlike previous years, this year's celebration of the Year of Czech Music will be open not only to classical music, but also to other genres. The Year of Czech Music will showcase an exciting variety that the contemporary Czech music scene has to offer. As the Czech Centres aim to showcase contemporary Czech art worldwide, young emerging performers who have already achieved success both in classical music and other genres will be featured. Throughout 2024, a series of concerts will be held commemorating not only the anniversaries of Bedřich Smetana, Antonín Dvořák, Leoš Janáček, Josef Suk, Bohuslav Martinů or Jiří Šlitr, but also a number of other events where music will be part of exhibitions, lectures or film screenings.

The visual identity of the Year of Czech Music was designed by Studio Najbrt. The graphic elements such as event invitations were designed by Tuan Vuong, a Studio Najbrt designer.

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Podcast Faces of Czech Music

Dvořák, Smetana, Janáček, Martinů – Czechia can boast a number of renowned figures from the past, but what about Czech music today? Alongside the classical greats, the contemporary music scene has much to offer: jazz musicians, film composers as well as world-class performers.

On the occasion of the Year of Czech Music, the Czech Centres and Radio Prague International present a joint podcast Faces of Czech Music introducing artists worth watching on the contemporary Czech music scene across different genres.

Curatorial and Press Trips

In 2023, 14 international professionals were supported to attend selected Czech festivals and music events. The aim of the visits was to include Czech content in international festivals or to publish texts about Czech music in international media.

Partners

The Czech Centres’s key partners for the Year of Czech Music are: Arts and Theatre Institute, SoundCzech, Czech Philharmonic –⁠ The Year of Czech Music,Radio Prague International, Prague Spring, Dvořákova Praha and Prague Sound, Palace Akropolis and Vážný zájem.