PKF — Prague Philharmonia

French-born conductor Emmanuel Villaume has led captivating performances with the most prominent opera companies and symphony orchestras around the world. Since the 2015–2016 season he has been Chief Conductor of the PKF – Prague Philharmonia. 

Emmanuel Villaume

Members for 1st violin, 2nd violin, violas, cello, double basses, woodwinds, brass wind instruments, percussion ...

PKF members

The PKF – Prague Philharmonia Orchestral Academy was established in 2008 as the very first project of its kind in the Czech Republic. Each year the orchestra welcomes in to its family 12 to 14 young, talented musicians. The PKF helps these players by giving them valuable orchestral experience and enthusiastically laying out the basic philosophy of the PKF: precision, a sense of teamwork and detail, artistic modesty, friendship and respect.

PKF Orchestral Academy

When reading that the PKF – Prague Philharmonia, former Prague Philharmonia, was founded in 1994, an inquisitive person immediately asks by whom and why, whether the orchestra originated “out of nowhere” or linked up to another ensemble… The establishment of an orchestra alone gives rise to a number of questions. The following text does not give a detailed account of the ensemble’s genesis but strives to answer the question of why and how it came to life and in so doing illuminates the motivations of those who have connected a large part of their lives with the orchestra.

History

Jiří Bělohlávek was born in Prague in 1946, and his love of music became apparent at an early age. Bělohlávek studied the cello with Professor Karel Pravoslav Sádlo, before continuing his studies at the Prague Conservatory and at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague. It was during these years that Jiří Bělohlávek began conducting in earnest, receiving instruction from Robert Brock, Alois Klíma, Bohumír Liška and Josef Veselka. 

Jiří Bělohlávek