Czech Radio Plays for Ukraine
Czech Radio and its Symphony Orchestra will host a benefit concert for Ukraine on Monday, March 14th in the Rudolfinum. Under the baton of their chief conductor Petr Popelka, the musicians will perform Dvořák's “From the New World” and works by Ukrainian composers. The evening will open with Valentyn Sylvestrov's “Elegy” and hornist Radek Baborák will perform the solo in Reinhold Glière’s “Concerto.”
All proceeds will be donated to the People in Need fund-raising collection for Ukraine. The concert will be video broadcast live on Czech Radio's Facebook page and will also be broadcast live on the radio stations Dvojka and Vltava.
“Immediately after the news of the reprehensible aggression against Ukraine spread around the world, we, the staff of Czech Radio, began thinking about how we could help and support the people of Ukraine as they face unbelievably trying times. While our news reporters are hard at work to provide the public with truthful and objective information about this violent and unprecedented act, our musicians will sound their instruments in songs that clearly symbolize deep sympathy and compassion," said René Zavoral, Director General of Czech Radio.
The Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra and its nominated chief conductor Petr Popelka have put together a special programme combining music by Ukrainian and Czech composers. The opening of the evening will feature the anthems of both the Czech Republic and Ukraine performed by the Czech Radio Children's Choir. The Symphony Orchestra will then play “Elegy” by Valentyna Sylvestrov, the most important living composer of Ukraine, who is classified as a postmodern composer. The “Concerto for Horn and Orchestra” by the late romantic Ukrainian composer Reinhold Glière, in which the world-famous musician Radek Baborák will play a solo, also promises to be a phenomenal experience. The evening will then be perfectly rounded off with Symphony No. 9 “From the New World,” with which Antonín Dvořák rendered Czech music world-famous.
All proceeds from admissions will be donated to the People in Need fund-raising campaign to aid Ukraine. Ticket prices range from 300 CZK to 5,000 CZK. All performers are participating without claim for remuneration.
Czech Radio Plays for Ukraine – a benefit concert of Czech Radio in support of Ukraine
Rudolfinum, Monday, March 14th, 2022 at 19:30.
Concert programme:
Valentyn Sylvestrov: Elegy
Reinhold Glière: Concerto for Horn and Orchestra in B flat major, Op. 91 - 28'
Antonín Dvořák: Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op. 95 “From the New World” - 41’
Petr Popelka – conductor
Radek Baborák – French horn
Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra
Czech Radio Children’s Choir
Věra Hrdinková – choirmaster
Tickets can be purchased on-line at socr.rozhlas.cz or at the Czech Radio shop (Vinohradská 12, Prague 2).