Festivals of music

One of the biggest Czech festivals and the owner of Music Event 2007 prize Rock For People moved from the capaciously insufficient place in Cesky Brod to comfort space of Festival Park, previously known as a military airport.

The volume of this year takes place 3th – 5th July. The international stars are 2 oldschool groups, Offspring and Massive Attack, and a contemporary one Kaiser Chiefs.

Other international groups are Enter Shikari, Black Mountain, Donots, Flogging Molly, H2O, Holy Fuck, Helmet, Madball, Locos and almost thirty others. Czech and Slovak music is supplied by Kabát, Aneta Langerová, Divokej Bill, David Koller, Kryštof, Wohnout, Xavier Baumaxa, Tři sestry, Horkýže slíže and many others.

Tickets: At the entrance for 1100 czk. More info here

The free festival United Islands of Prague (UIP) on three Prague islands and many clubs, hosting over 100 bands from 12 countries starts today. Today is the day of less known music groups, mostly local ones, who participate at the contest for a recording contract.

The official initiation is tomorrow, 20th June in the centre of contemporary art Meet Factory.

Except for Tata Boys, all the groups are playing for free. “This way, we can introduce groups to people, who wouldn’t come, if they had to pay” Said one of the organizers.

Along the music, there are also exotic kitchens and good accompanying programme. For complete information in English click here. For programme, just here

Prazske Jaro – Prague Spring was unrecorded in the number of performing artists, who, for various reasons, decided to chancel their performance. For example Dagmar Peckova, who was supposed to perform the complex act from melodrama Awaiting, couldn’t arrive because of illness. Luckily, she was replaced by renowned American sopranos Deborah Polanski, who made an act full of emotions.

Also the London orchestra came to impress at the Prague Spring, with their present boss Jiri Belohlavek. The British performed as the wonderful music interprets of the 20th century music. They played Skladateluv apel from 1968, with certainty of experienced interpret of the 20th century and attacked the listeners’ senses with richness of colors. Based on LN Hradecka

Prague Spring (Czech: Mezinárodní hudební festival Pražké jaro) is a significant music event held under the patronage of the President of the Czech Republic and in association with the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic. Outstanding artists, symphony orchestras and chamber music ensembles has been performing at Prague Spring since 1946.

The international music festival Prague Spring introduces five prestigious international symphonic orchestras, as well as front Czech orchestras. Among the greatest ones of this season are the Petersburg philharmony, Symphonic orchestra of the BBC and the Budapest festival orchestra, whose tickets have been sold out for weeks.

The first ensemble from abroad to play is the oldest British symphonic orchestra – Halle Orchestra from Manchester, celebrating their 150th year of existence. The Smetana’s Hall as the main venue will hear not just Dvorak’s Scherzo capricciosa, there will be British music as well – e.g. Edward Elgar’s Symphony no. 1.

The Main star of this year Rock for People festival in the Czech Republic will be The Offspring, whom the organizers were trying to get a few years now. This year their efforts were finally successful and the ex-airport at Hradec Kralove. The Rock for People takes place on 3th to 5th June, it is the 14th year of the festival already.

The Offspring, who get around music scene for more than twenty years, and who should publish a new record in June, are the elders, but there will be also freshmen; British Kaiser Chiefs, who scored last year with Yours Truly, Angry Mob and the Ruby hit. Other invited groups are Enter Shikari, Black Mountain, Donots, H2O and others.

Prague will have a new festival of Classical Music. The international display Dvorakova Praha or New world among festivals starts in Prague Rudolfinum 16th August and continues until 4th September. Festival intendant is Vladimir Darjanin. In three weeks the organizers want to make 15 concerts, from that nine orchestral ones, three chamber and three recitals – lyric, violin and piano.

The programme offers pieces of Antonin Dvorak in wider scale, but also favorite pieces of e.g. Felix Mendelssohn-Bartoldy, Dimirtij Sostakovicz, Petr Iljic Cajkovski, Leos Janacek and also W.A. Mozart. The opening concert will be taken care of by Czech Philharmonic, which will, under the baton of Austria-Romanian conductor Ion Martin, play Dvoraks’ From the New World.

The solo players will include a pianist Ivan Moravec in Shuman’s Piano concert. To participate have also agreed violoncellist Jiri Barta, Switzerland conductor Charles Dutoit, German sopranist Charles Dutoit.

Prague Spring (Czech: Mezinárodní hudební festival Pražké jaro) 2008 is a significant music event held under the patronage of the President of the Czech Republic Vaclav Klaus and in association with the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic. Outstanding artists, symphony orchestras and chamber music ensembles has been performing at Prague Spring since 1946.

Prague Spring is a permanent showcase for outstanding performing artists, symphony orchestras and chamber music ensembles of the world. The concerts take place in various places in Prague, such as Rudolfinum, Municipal House, Lichtenstein Palace, Church Of St. Simon and St. Juda, etc.

12th May – 4th June 2008, Prague

Tonight in Abaton: a festival offering an interesting selection from Czech and International club concert scene. You can look forward to two days offering different music and atmosphere.

FRIDAY – electromaniacs Moimir Papalescu & The Nihilists, renomed Sunshine, instrumental trio Sunflower Caravanz or German Lola Angst and Cobra Killer. First tones are going to vibrate through Abaton at 17:30 and are not going to stop until morning hours.

SATURDAY – The Prostitutes, Priessnitz, Rybicky 48 or The Slots. Group Air Fare from the USA, Dubblestandart from Austria. Saturday evening offers also rhythms of reggae and ska, as you would be able to enjoy old Prague classics of ska – Schodiste and reggae – Svihadlo.

Club Abaton, Na Kosince 8, Prague. You can get there by the metro yellow line B to Palmovka and continue by trams 10, 24 or 25 to stop Stejskalova. Tickets: two days 400 CZK, one day ticket 300 CZK.

The same as Prazske Jaro (Prague Spring) festival of classical music represents for the Czech scene of classical music, the International Jazz Festival represents for the lovers of jazz. And what is it? It is The Event.

This autumn is the 31st expedition into the deep waters of jazz. It is true, though, this year the waters are much vaster than usual. The past years were mostly concerned about the classical forms of jazz, but this year’s dramaturgy turns the direction on some more progressive jazz forms, such as jazz rock, acid-jazz, world music, blues, ska, funky, soul and others.

The greatest moments of the festival are taken care of by:

• The American singer Dee Dee Bridgewater with her Red Water project
• The famous funky saxophonist Pee Wee Ellis with his incredible show
• The phenomenal cosmopolitan music group N.O.H.A. Playing a combination of drum´n´bass, electronic jazz, pop and dance rhythms
• The New Zealand group Rotterdam Ska-jazz Foundation

For the complete information about the place and time of the concerts just click.

Thematically arranged evenings are going to take place in the halls of the Congress Center Prague, Lucerna Music Bar, Rock Café and Reduta Jazz Club, the whole festival is from November 23th to 30th 2007.

Festival of Czech indie rock bands will take place in the Parukarka park in Prague on 1 ^st September. You can spend the whole afternoon there – the bands will play from 1 pm to 10 pm and the admission is free.

Parukarka park is situated in Prague 3, Zizkov district. The closest metro station is Flora, the closest tram stop is “Olsanske namesti” (trams 5, 9, 26).

Line-up:
13:00 – 13:40 STP
14:00 – 14:40 Loves Of A Blonde
15:00 – 15:40 The Roads
16:00 – 16:40 LakesideX
17:00 – 17:40 No Heroes
18:00 – 18:40 Road Side Mary
19:00 – 19:40 Living Room
20:00 – 20.40 Sweeper
21:00 – 21:40 The Slots

A month before the start of Strings of Autumn, international music festival in Prague, the organizers announced that two concerts have been added due to a large demand from Czech and foreign audience.

This year’s festival will present for the first time Portuguese fadist Ana Moura or American jazz violin Regina Carter. Famous pianist Brad Mehldau will come back to Rudolfinum’s stage.

The festival will take place in many significant buildings in Prague from 23th September to 18th November 2007. The festival opening concert is already sold out, tickets to other concerts can be bought at the Festival Information and Sale Centre at the box office of the National Theatre in Prague. More information about the festival can be found here.

One of the most famous festivals of classical music held in the historical city of Prague, Prague Autumn, starts in about one month. The series of classical concerts performed by outstanding musicians have been held in the impressing hall of Prague’s Rudolfinum since 1991.

The festival provides a space to present radio symphonic orchestras. This year’s festival will be launched by the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra with its conductor Bertrand de Billy. The festival will also present BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Rotterdam Philharmonic or Czech Philharmonic Orchestra (for more information about the programme click here).

The festival is held under the auspices of the President of the Czech Republic Vaclav Klaus. The concert will take place in Dvorak’s Hall in Rudolfinum from 12th September to 1st October 2007. Tickets are already on sale in the main box office in Rudolfinum or via Ticketpro and Bohemia Ticket network.

O2 SazavaFest 2007 is a multicultural open-air festival held every year since 2001. It offers concerts of Czech musicians as well as interesting musicians from abroad. This year it’s held from 2nd to 5th August 2007 in Kacov near Kutna Hora (about 60 km far from Prague).

One of the performers at the festival will be British singer Skye whose voice is known from the band Morcheeba. Visitors of SazavaFest can also enjoy Kosheen or Fernando Saunders (bass and vocal with Lou Reed). From Czech bands they can look forward to J.A.R, Monkey Business, Dan Barta and others.

Tickets can be bought via Ticketstream network or printed as a e-ticket at your computer. Tickets can be bought either for one day (590 CZK + service charge) or for the whole festival (820 CZK + service charge). For more info about the festival go to www.sazavafest.cz.

Fans of open-air music festival held in the Stromovka park in Prague on 27th and 28th July 2007 can look forward to another famous person who promised to perform there – R&B singer and seven Grammy Awards winner Lauryn Hill from music band The Fugees.

Besides the performance of Lauryn Hill, the park will be resounded by the music of Dr. John, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Ricky Skaggs or Courtney Pine. Czech musicians will be represented by Dan Barta, Lenska Dusilova or Yellow Sisters.

The festival will offer many additional activities for both adults and children. Visitors can also try to play side by side the famous musicians in the “jam session” on the stage. For more information visit the official web pages of the festival www.musicinthepark.cz.

We bring you a detailed review of the biggest festival in the Czech Republic, Rock For People, held at the area of Hradec Kralove airport from 4th to 6th July 2007.

Resume: 3 days, 24 bands, most clothes wet, all pairs of trousers and shoes muddy, sun burnt face – the best holiday in my life!

It’s always been my dream to go to a rock festival. I know that to many of you it isn’t such a big deal but for me it’s never been that easy. There was either no money or no people who would undergo that with me. And so I was ineffably happy when my friend said she would go with me. We bought our tickets about 2 months in advance and before we realized the day D arrived.

[…] The overall organization of this festival that is the biggest in the Czech Republic was impressive. Needless to say, all the 17 thousand people who visited the festival were impressive too. There were no drunken fights, no aggression, no drugs, no stealing – as far as my friend and I noticed. (the whole article)

3rd year of the music festival that is held in four different places – at four Czech castles – starts today at Tocnik-Zebrak castles near Prague. Visitors can look forward to a Horror Night. Everybody who takes a mask with them will get a nice present.

The festival will present popular Czech musicians at several concerts – on 13th and 14th July in Tocnik and Zebrak near Prague, on 20th and 21th July in Kuneticka hora near Pardubice, on 27th and 28th July in Svihov near Plzen and on 3rd and 4th August in Bezdez.

How to get to Tocnik-Zebrak castles? There will be shuttle buses from railway station Zdice to village Tocnik between 11:00 and 16:00 today. If you don’t have tickets yet, they will be available at the venue for 180 CZK. Sleeping is possible in a tent for free.

Jazz Bridge Festival was held for the first time in the evening before the Czech Republic joined the EU. It became so successful that the festival is held this year for the fourth times, it’s called Jazz Bridge from Prague to EU 2007.

The main stars of this festival is Kentonmania – a big band including 5 saxophones, 4 trumpets, 4 trombones, a tuba and 8 French horns.

First concerts have already taken place in Germany, Czech part of the festival will be held in Karlovy Vary on 14th July and in Prague’s club Manes (Masarykovo nabrezi 250, Prague 1) on Sunday 15th July 2007. Tickets can be bought via Ticketpro.cz and TicketArt.cz More information about the festival can be found at www.jazzbridge.net.

The biggest jazz festival in the Czech Republic starts today (at 16:00) in Prague’s Old Town Square, and in other days in Plzen, Prachatice and Ceske Budejovice. Musicians from Chicago, Berlin, Stockholm, Vienna, Prague and New York will play under the sky in historical squares for free.

In Prague festival you can hear ACM Trio, Stepan Markovic & Gulocar, Nils Berg Quintet, Kenny Garrett Quartet, Clemens Salesny Quartet, Subtone, Rudy Linka & Dan Fabricatore and Dave Holland Quintet.

The festival in Prague will be take place in the Old Town Square today and tomorrow. For more information go to the official sites of the festival here.

Tomorrow starts one of the biggest music festivals in the Czech Republic Rock For People (4th – 6th July). For the first time the venue of the festival is not in Cesky Brod but in Hradec Kralove, a town about 100 km east from Prague.

More than 120 music bands will perform on four large stages. Czech bands will take turns with many foreign music bands, some of them long-awaited in the Czech Republic. The stars of the festival are The Killers (Wendesday 22:25), the winners of MTV awards for the best rock group 2006 and Brits Awards for the best foreign music band 2007, then The Hives (Thursday 21:45) or Basement Jaxx (Friday 21:40).

Three-day tickets cost 900 CZK, one-day tickets 620 CZK. Accommodation is provided in a camp place for 50 CZK. More information about the festival can be obtained at the official pages (here).

In less than a month Prague will host the 8th International Music Festival – Summer Festivities of Early Music Prague. The aim of this annual music festival is to enrich the Prague’s summer cultural life. The motto of this year’s festival ‘Journeying through the Centuries’.

The festival offers various historical styles performed on period instruments. The concerts take place in various historical monuments and interesting places of Prague (such as Brevnov Monastery, Vrtba Garden, Troja Chateau, etc.) which help create a special period atmosphere.

The first concert starts in the Congress Centre of the Czech National Bank on Saturday 14th July, the last one in ABC theatre on 8th August 2007. Tickets can be bought in the booking office of Collegium Marianum in Melantrichova 19 street, Ticketpro and Rokoko (Vaclavske namesti 38) and ABC (Vodickova 28) theatres. For more information about the festival, ticket reservations and the programme, click here.