Prague Philharmonia launches its 32nd Chamber Season with a celebration of musical heritage. The 2025–2026 series, centred on folklore, showcases works inspired by traditional music and opens on 15 September in the Baroque Refectory at Charles University.
Prague Philharmonia launches its 32nd Chamber Season with a celebration of musical roots. This year’s series is themed around folklore, highlighting composers whose works draw inspiration from traditional music.
The opening concert takes place on 15 September 2025 at 7:30 p.m. in the Baroque Refectory of the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University. Audiences can expect a unique combination of strings, winds, and the resonant depth of the double bass. The renowned Zemlinsky Quartet, joined by oboist Jan Souček, clarinetist Jindřich Pavliš, and double bassist Adam Honzírek, will perform works by Darius Milhaud, Bohuslav Martinů, and Sergei Prokofiev. The evening concludes with a symbolic nod to history: Franz Schubert’s String Quartet No. 15 in G major, Op. 161, marking its 200th anniversary.
A signature feature of the concerts is the dramaturgical introduction by Martina Sermain. Audiences value her presentations for their rich insights, revealing historical context and personal anecdotes about the composers—details rarely found in standard programme notes.
“The evening’s dramaturgy builds on the rich legacy of chamber music while also showcasing works for less common instrumental combinations. What links the three composers in the first half is not only Paris, but also the United States. Martinů’s Nocturne was written the same year as Milhaud’s Jacob’s Dreams (1949). In Milhaud’s piece, the oboe becomes the voice of God,” explains Sermain.
The 2025–2026 season will feature ten themed evenings, showcasing outstanding Czech ensembles, soloists, and members of the orchestra.
Founded in 1994 by conductor Jiří Bělohlávek and a group of young musicians, Prague Philharmonia quickly established itself as a vibrant and energetic ensemble. Since 2015, the orchestra has been led by French conductor Emmanuel Villaume, under whose leadership it collaborates with prestigious festivals such as the BBC Proms, Dresdner Musikfestspiele, and Prague Spring.
