Two Evenings of Virtuosity: Vengerov and Moon Join Prague Philharmonia for Special Concert Series
At the end of April 2026, under the baton of Chief Conductor Emmanuel Villaume, Prague Philharmonia will present a pair
of extraordinary concerts at the Smetana Hall of the Municipal House.
Special concert 26. april 2026
Carpe Diem - Seize the moment. Stay in the sound. Step outside of time.
Maxim Vengerov, often described as the greatest string player of our time, returns to Prague.
The Grammy Award-winning violinist, sought-after soloist and conductor, whose name resonates across the world’s most prestigious stages, will perform a program titled Carpe Diem - Seize the moment. Stay in the sound. Step outside of time.
The program invites listeners on a journey through three musical worlds, from joyful movement to serene contemplation. The evening will open with Felix Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 4 in A major, the “Italian”, a sparkling and jubilant work showcasing the orchestra’s famed precision, lightness and vitality.
This will be followed by Violin Concerto No. 6 “Carpe Diem” by contemporary composer Alexey Shor, a lyrical piece built on clarity of line and subtle virtuosity. Maxim Vengerov lends it an inner strength and a luminous tone in a performance combining brilliant technique with profound emotion.
The evening will conclude with Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto in D major, a passionate and emotionally charged work that in Vengerov’s hands becomes a statement of sincerity and expressive intensity.
Maxim Vengerov performs on violin ex-Kreutzer Stradivarius (1727).
Special concert 27. april 2026
Echoes of Distance and Dreams
Arsenii Moon, winner of the prestigious Ferruccio Busoni International Piano Competition and one of the most compelling young pianists of his generation. In a concert titled Echoes of Distance and Dreams, the program opens with Mendelssohn’s concert overture The Hebrides (Fingal’s Cave), music inspired by wind and water.
Moon will then perform Alexey Shor’s Piano Concerto No. 1, a contemporary work built on transparent textures, lyrical lines and elegant poise.
The second half of the evening begins with Maurice Ravel’s poetic suite Ma mère l’Oye, which gently draws the listener into a world of delicate musical fairytales.
The concert will conclude with Sergei Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43, a work shifting between light and shadow, culminating in the iconic and luminous 18th variation.