The Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra
was founded in 1926. Its conductors in the past have included such distinguished names on the Czech classical music scene as Václav Talich, Karel Ančerl...
...Václav Neumann, and Libor Pešek, and also guest conductors from abroad, among them Charles Munch, Franz Konwitschny, Hermann Scherchen, Genady Rozhdyestvensky, Serge Baudo, Leif Segerstam, Sir Charles Mackerras and Tadeusz Strugala. Composers Sergei Prokofiev, Ottorino Respighi, Arthur Honegger, Aram Khachaturian and Krysztof Penderecki have also conducted their works with SOČR.
SOČR has appeared in a number of countries in Europe and overseas, including Germany, Italy, Austria, Spain, Turkey, Switzerland, France, Greece, Great Britain, Japan, South Korea, China and Taiwan as well as the USA. The Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra has recorded several dozen CDs for leading record companies such as Supraphon, PonyCanyon, Radioservis, among others. SOČR received an important award in January 1996 from international music critics at MIDEM Classic in Cannes, where it was presented with the "Cannes Classical Award 95" for its recording of Ervín Schulhoff's piano concertos for Supraphon, with pianist Jan Simon and conductor Vladimír Válek.
SOČR v Rudolfinu
Vladimír Válek, who has also been conducting the Czech Philharmonic since 1996, assumed the post of Chief Conductor of SOČR in 1985 and, under his guidance, the orchestra has become one of the most prominent in Europe. A number of renowned soloists have performed with them, for example, the violinists Victor Tretyakov and Josef Suk, cellists Mischa Maisky, Alexander Rudin, pianists Richard Ormrod, James Tocco, Ivan Moravec, Eugen Indjic and singers Simon Estes and Gabriela Benačková.
