Czech Philharmonic Triumphs at Carnegie Hall!

AFoCR was pleased to support the Czech Philharmonic in its masterful and highly successful residency.

Led by Maestro Semyon Bychkov, the orchestra thrilled audiences on three succeeding nights, featuring selections by Dvorak, Smetana and other legends of Czech music. The performances were enhanced by the participation of illustrious guest artists such as Yo-Yo Ma and Gil Shaham.

The Prague Philharmonic Choir accompanied the orchestra but also performed independently. Their first “unorthodox” appearance took place in a free open-air recital at Duffy Square in the Times Square area of Manhattan. The group enchanted the lucky random passers-by that stopped to listen with a wide-ranging selection of songs, including several from the historic body of American Negro Spirituals. The crowd whistled and cheered.

A delightful “musical brunch” – primarily sponsored by AFoCR – was held at Bohemian National Hall on Friday, December 6, and was attended by President Petr Pavel, as well as by primary leaders of the Czech Philharmonic. Four AFoCR directors were lead organizers: Joseph Balaz, Jan Smilek, Gabriela Cihlarova and Patricia Stack.

If you were unable to attend any of the concerts in person, a performance of Smetana’s symphonies from the evening of December 4th is available for viewing on the Czech Philharmonic’s website. You can access it through the link here.

Additional information on how you can also support the famous orchestra and AFOCR is on our website.