Prague Chamber Orchestra

Founded in Prague in 1951 at the initiative of musicians from the Czechoslovak Radio’s Symphony Orchestra, the Prague Chamber Orchestra (Pražský komorní orchestr) formed around a chamber ensemble suited to the classical and pre-classical repertoire, with an identity marked by performing without a conductor. Becoming independent in 1965, the ensemble aligned with the tradition of a Vienna-classical-type orchestra, while also addressing late Baroque, early Romanticism, and certain pages of the 20th century. The Prague Chamber Orchestra advocates a lean, collective and precise reading, particularly associated with Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, but also with Bach, Handel, Vivaldi, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Dvořák, Janáček or Martinů, without neglecting older Czech composers. Its trajectory is also linked to intense international activity, with tours in Europe, the United States, Asia and South America since the 1950s.