Two screenings took place at the Prague House: Opening Ceremony Wednesday March 19 | Public screening of Dajori + Q&A with a glass of wine The film will was followed by a Q&A with the film's director Nicolas Kourek.

Thursday March 20 | 19:00 | Public screening of World Between Us.

The Echoes of Ji.hlava IDFF in Belgium are held under the auspices of H.E. Jakub Skalník, Ambassador of the Czech Republic to the Kingdom of Belgium, and with the support of the City of Jihlava, the Vysočina Region and the Delegation of Prague to the EU.

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13th edition of the Echoes of Ji.hlava in Belgium

Katarína Kožúriková is an accomplished violinist with a depth of orchestral and solo performance experience. She is a graduate of the Prague Conservatory and is currently completing her master’s degree at the Janáček Academy in Brno. Katarína has performed at prestigious festivals such as the FIMU Festival in Belfort, France, and Dvořákova Praha with the Youth Philharmonic Dvořák Prague. In 2023, she performed with the Janáček Ensemble, interpreting works by Bohuslav Martinů, and represented the Janacek Academy at the ANO Festival on the Greek island of Syros. She has toured extensively, performing in Austria, Germany, France, and Italy with chamber and symphonic ensembles.

Karolína Alena Bartoňková is a versatile soprano with a repertoire encompassing opera, sacred music, and choral works. Currently pursuing her master’s degree at the Janáček Academy in Brno, Karolína has also studied at the Evangelical Academy Conservatory in Olomouc and trained abroad at the Conservatory of Santa Cecilia in Rome under the leadership of Amelia Felle. Her operatic repertoire includes classical roles such as Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro, the Kitchen Boy in Rusalka, which she has performed in The Moravian Theatre in Olomouc. Demonstrating her interest in contemporary music, Karolína participated in performance of Tvorování by Noemi Savková in Chamber Opera JAMU. A contributor to classical music platforms, she blends her musical talent with her studies in Italian and journalism.

Kamila Holíková is a classically trained pianist known for her dedication to 20th-century Czech composers. A graduate of the Janáček Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Brno and the Evangelical Academy Conservatory in Olomouc, Kamila excels as a soloist, chamber musician, and accompanist. She also works as a piano teacher, sharing her passion and expertise with the next generation of musicians. Her accolades include the Bohuslav Martinů Award for piano accompaniment, a featured role in an upcoming documentary about Vítězslava Kaprálová alongside Karolína, and performance of the Shostakovich Second Piano Concerto at the Archbishopric of Olomouc. Additionally, Kamila has led innovative workshops about Sonic Meditation in cooperation with Infame Radio and co-created the musical programme for the Czech-German Journalism Awards.

Together, these three artists promise an evening of rich musical expression, showcasing their shared passion for classical and contemporary works from Czech composers.

programme
J. Suk: Píseň lásky (Song of Love), op. 7, No. 1 - violin and piano

B. Martinů: Písničky na jednu stránku (Songs on one page) - voice and piano

L. Janáček: Po zarostlém chodníčku (On an Overgrown Path) - piano
Lístek odvanutý (A Blown-Away Leaf)
Pojďte s námi (Come With Us!)
Štěbetaly laštovičky (They Chattered Like Swallows)
Frýdecká panna Maria (The Madonna of Frydek)
Dobrou noc (Good Night)

V. Kaprálová: Songs - voice and piano
Píseň milostná (Love Song)
Jitro (Morning)
Osiřelý (Orphaned)
Navždy (Forever)
Sbohem a šáteček (Waving Farewell)

B. Smetana: From the Homeland - violin and piano
I. Moderato
II. Andantino

The event was organised with the kind support of H. E. Jakub Skalník,
Ambassador of the Czech Republic to the Kingdom

The event was organised with the kind support of H. E. Jakub Skalník,
Ambassador of the Czech Republic to the Kingdom.

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PH Concert Series: From the Homeland

JAMU

Born in Prague in 1960, Michal Kaňka completed his studies there under the guidance of esteemed professors. He later refined his artistry in Los Angeles with André Navarra, Maurice Gendron, and Paul Tortelier. From 1980 onwards, he won numerous prestigious awards and was invited to perform with leading international orchestras. A devoted chamber musician, he has been a member of the renowned Pražák Quartet and Beethoven String Trio since 1986, recording extensively and performing worldwide. Today, he teaches in his hometown and serves on the artistic board of the highly esteemed Prague Spring Festival.

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Cello Masterclass with Michal Kaňka

Masterclass - violoncello

Programme
Sergey Rachmaninoff: Sonata for Violin and Piano in G minor Op. 19 (arr. Jascha Heifetz, Ivan Ženatý)
Bohuslav Martinů: Sonata for Violin and Piano in C major H 120

Violin virtuoso Ivan Ženatý and pianist Martin Kasík have been closely associated with the festival for decades, and this from the moment each of them in their own discipline took away the top prize in the Prague Spring International Music Competition. In 2025 they return to the Prague Spring to perform in a joint recital with the highly evocative Sonata in G minor by Sergey Rachmaninoff (1873–1943), its demanding piano part reflecting the mastery of its pianist creator, and the early Sonata in C major by Bohuslav Martinů (1890–1959), which blends the musical language of the 19th century Romantics with the nascent yet distinctive, fervent melodies that were to become so characteristic for Martinů.

Ivan Ženatý first started to make waves when, at the age of twenty, he reached the finals of the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow. This was followed by his debut with the Czech Philharmonic under conductor Libor Pešek and a series of further engagements, among them, appearances with the BBC Symphony Orchestra in London, the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Berlin Symphony. He has worked with artists Yo-Yo Ma, Yehudi Menuhin and Sir Neville Marriner, and he developed a particularly close musical partnership with Jiří Bělohlávek, with whom he performed on countless occasions and also made a critically acclaimed recording of Josef Bohuslav Foerster’s violin concertos. After Ženatý’s appearance in New York’s Carnegie Hall, Rorianne Schrade, writing for the New York Concert Review, was full of superlatives: “It was a dream!”. Ivan Ženatý plays on a rare instrument crafted by celebrated Cremonese violin maker Giuseppe Guarneri.

Likewise Martin Kasík can also boast a whole series of major global successes, in particular, his triumph at one of the largest and most challenging international events, the Young Concert Artists competition in New York, which opened the doors to some of the world’s most illustrious concert venues: Carnegie Hall in New York, Suntory Hall in Tokyo, Tonhalle Zürich and the Berliner Philharmonie. Conducted by the likes of Jakub Hrůša, Tomáš Netopil, Marin Alsop and Ingo Metzmacher, he has appeared with prominent orchestras such as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Tonhalle-Orchester Zurich and the Czech Philharmonic.



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PH Concert Series: Ivan Ženatý & Martin Kasík

The members of the new delegation:

MEMBERS
Roman Línek (chairman of the delegation), Richard Vereš (vice-chairman of the delegation), Pavel Branda, Kamila Bláhová, Zdeněk Hřib, Petra Pecková, Martin Půta, Radim Sršeň, Šárka Šimoňáková, Dagmar Škodová Parmová, Rudolf Špoták, Jan Zámečník

ALTERNATES
Iva Dvořáková, Jan Chabr, Tomáš Chmela, Martin Příborský, Jiří Růžička, Josef Suchánek, Jaroslav Zámečník, Robert Zeman

The discussion with the Secretary General of the ERC, Petr Blížkovský, was one of the key moments of the first meeting of the national delegation. Petr Blížkovský welcomed the members of the delegation to the inaugural plenary session and summarized several recommendations that could increase the efficiency and impact of the members' work in the ERC. In particular, he appealed to the members of the delegation to be innovative and concrete in promoting the interests of Czech regions and cities at the European level. He stressed, for example, the importance of drafting opinions in the pre-legislative phase, which makes it possible to influence the legislative process at an early stage.

The key topic of the delegation and the plenary session in the coming months will of course be the draft legislation on the new multiannual financial framework and the regional dimension within cohesion policy. Cooperation in areas such as energy, affordable housing and a strong defence industry will also be essential.

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First meeting of the Czech National Delegation to the European Committee of the Regions in Brussels

The exhibition gives space to classic media as a means to slow down, reflect and reinterpret the moment. This is not trendy art trying to keep up with a rapidly changing world, but a celebration of diversity, aesthetic purity and originality. It is a tribute to sensitivity as a key quality that gives art its power and meaning.

“This selection of young Czech artists invites viewers to discover and experience, which is not only visual, but also deeply internal. The exhibition invites you to look into a world where sensitivity is a tool of understanding and creation, connecting a person, their emotions and the world of art,” add the curators.

Exhibiting artists: Dominik Adamec, Karíma Al-Mukhtarová, Veronika Čechmánková, Nikola Čulík, Radka Bodzewitz, David Krňanský, Assaf Hinden, Ester Parasková, Petr Pelzmann, Ondřej Petrlík, Matěj Pokorný, Sofie Tobiášová, Matyáš Malač, Mark Ther.

“Sensitivity is a gift that allows creators to perceive the world in its subtlety, discover hidden meanings and transform them into works full of depth and emotion. We conceived the exhibition as an exploration of various forms of sensitivity – not as a weakness, but as a strength that unlocks new perspectives and opens the viewer’s path to understanding,” say the curators of HYB4 Gallery Filip Kazda and Michal Štochl.

The exhibition will run until March 27, 2025. Visits must be booked in advance by calling 02 230 94 91 or by email at: praguehouse@praha.eu.

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Opening of the Exhibition: Many Forms of Sensitivity

Vernisáž výstavy: Mnoho podob citlivosti

The speakers of the evening were Vendula Lužná from UPOL, co-founder of the Ask a Scientist portal, Tereza Ormsby, and science popularizer and founder of the Kreslim vedu profile, Lucia Ciglar. The discussion evening will be moderated by the Vice-Dean for External Relations and Development from Charles University and co-founder of the Věda výzkum portal, Aleš Vlk.

Science Café is a discussion evening for scientists and those interested in science from the general public, who can ask questions in an informal setting about what interests them in a given field.

The event is organized by CZELO with the Representation of the South Moravian Region in Brussels, the Slovak Liaison Office for Research and Development in Brussels, and the Prague House.

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Science Café: Women Share Science!

The event was attended by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, Jan Lipavský, and the Minister for European Affairs of the Czech Republic, Martin Dvořák.

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Farewell reception with the Permanent Representative of the Czech Republic to the EU

Rozlučková recepce se stálou představitelkou ČR při EU

Artemis Horns

Michaela Bůžková 
Kristina Mascher-Turner 
Claudia Rigoni
Katrien Vintioen

Michaela Bůžková studied the horn at the Kroměříž Conservatory and perfected herself at the Janáček Academy in Brno. After her studies, she played the horn in various ensembles, including the Arion Wind Quintet. She played in the Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra of Olomouc and the Prague Philharmonia. Since 2007 she has been permanently associated with the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra as principal horn soloist. She has performed several times as a soloist with various orchestras and in chamber music settings. She won second prizes at the Europäischer Wettbewerb Klassik-Festival Ruhr, the Czech-Slovak-Anglo Trust Competition and the Brass Competition Brno.

Kristina Mascher-Turner, former solo horn of the Brussels Philharmonic, is from Oregon, USA. She studied at the University of Wisconsin and the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler Berlin. She was a member of the Odense Symfoniorkester in Denmark and solo horn with the Gustav-Mahler-Jugendorchester. For several years, she played full-time with the Luxembourg Philharmonic and is much in demand as a regular guest with orchestras and ensembles around Europe. Since 2009 she has been a member of the world-famous American Horn Quartet and is also a member of Luxembrass (1st prize at the Passau Competition) and the critically acclaimed Virtuoso Horn Duo with husband Kerry Turner. Kristina is a member of the Summit Brass and artist faculty for the Rafael Mendez Brass Institute in Colorado, USA. She has given master classes and performed in over 30 countries on six continents. She served as Vice President of the International Horn Society from 2015-2021 and is a recipient of the International Horn Society’s prestigious Punto Award.

Claudia Rigoni is an Italian freelancer based in Brussels. She studied in the Conservatory of Music G. Tartini in Trieste with the prof. Imerio Tagliaferri. Since 2014 she started to work with several italian orchestras: Teatro Verdi di Trieste, Istituzione Sinfonica Abruzzese, Orchestra Filarmonica di Torino, Orchestra Filarmonica di Bologna e Orchestra Sinfonica del Friuli Venezia Giulia. In 2018 she decided to leave Italy and perfect herself for two years in Tilburg (NL) under the guidance of Prof. Hans vd Zanden. From here she began to work with German, Belgian and Dutch orchestras such as Bochumer Symphoniker, Brussels Philharmonic, Belgian National Orchestra, Orchestre Philharmonique de Liege and PhilZuid. Currently she is specializing in natural horn and horn at KCB under the guidance of the profs. Jeroen Billiet and Anthony Devriendt.


Katrien Vintioen started playing the horn at the age of 7. Initially with Mr. C. Synave and later with Mr. Piet Dombrecht. At the age of 18, Katrien started studying with Mr. J. Powers at the Lemmens Institute in Leuven. From that moment on, she worked freelance in various Belgian orchestras and chamber music ensembles such as the former Antwerp Symphony Orchestra, VRO, the new Flemish Symphony Orchestra, the new Belgian and I Fiamminghi. Katrien then succeeded in the Belgium National Orchestra where she still holds the position of Horn soloist. 

programme

L. Koželuh (1747-1818) 
Hunting Fanfare - Quail Fanfare

J. S. Bach (1685-1750), arr. G. Winter
Fantasia 14 BWV 570

G. F. Handel (1685-1759), arr. L. Shaw
Blessing and Honor from “The Messiah” 

P. Mascagni (1863-1945), arr. A. Bonaldo
Intermezzo from “Cavalleria Rusticana” 

Kerry Turner (b. 1960)
Fanfare for Barcs

E. De Cloedt (1931-2017)
Five Folk Songs (arranged for horn quartet)
2. Giant’s Song
3. From Two Royal Children
4. In Winter When It Rains…

D. Hill (b. 1946)
“The Glorious Privilege of Being” for horn quartet

D. Meader (b. 1961), arr. S. Schaughency
Apache Wedding Blessing from “Jazztets Vol. 1” 

Irish Folk Song, arr. K. Turner
She Moved Through the Fair

K. Turner
Greyfriars Bobby

L. Koželuh
Festive hunting fanfare Halali

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New Year’s Concert - Artemis Horns

The year 2025 marks a significant step in the career of Czech painter Klára Sedlo – she will present her work at a solo exhibition at the Prague House in Brussels. The opening will take place on January 22, 2025 at 7:30 PM and will offer a combination of new and older works inspired by the mysterious Voynich manuscript.
“This project has been with me for several years and I am very happy to be able to present it in such a prestigious environment,” says Klára Sedlo. She is returning to Brussels after several years – she exhibited here for the first time as part of a group exhibition of the AVU project, at that time still as the youngest participant. Since then, her career has taken a new direction.

Klára Sedlo, a graduate of the Prague AVU, is known not only for her distinctive work, but also for her active communication on social networks. She studied painting with Michael Rittstein and drawing with Jiří Petrbok. Her works with elements of magical realism often depict strange aspects of the world – from monsters to surreal scenes that reflect the author’s inner states.

An exhibition connecting history and the present

Visitors can look forward to 40 paintings, divided into two thematic areas. The first includes new works, among which stand out large floral still lifes inspired by the Voynich manuscript. The second area brings older works, including the very first painting from the cycle that started the author’s fascination with this mysterious book a few years ago. The Voynich manuscript, a mysterious medieval text also connected to Prague, has fascinated Sedlo for years. The mysterious writing and illustrations, which no one has been able to decipher, are transformed into realistic-magical images in her presentation. They combine Renaissance tradition with modern elements – for example, Dancing Plant captured in phased motion on imaginary film frames, or Entrance to the Underground, where the composition of plants resembles a computer game menu.

The exhibition is on view from January 23rd to February 13th, 2025.
Reservations: praguehouse@praha.eu


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Opening of the Exhibition: Klára Sedlo - VOYNICH’S FLOWERBED

Vernisáž výstavy: Klára Sedlo - VOYNICH’S FLOWERBED

Programme:
Jaroslav Krček – Renaissance trio
I. Intrada - II. Bird Intermezzo - III. Dance - IV. The Wild Whirl

Bohuslav Martinů – Quatre Madrigaux
II. Lento - III. Poco Allegretto 

Ludwig van Beethoven – Grand Trio in C major, op. 87
I. Allegro - II. Adagio - III. Menuet. Allegro molto. Scherzo – Trio - IV. Finale. Presto

Evžen Zámečník – Christmas Suite for Hoboe, Clarinet and Bassoon

Slavic Trio is a Czech chamber ensemble formed by prominent musicians of the young generation – oboist Barbora Trnčíková, clarinetist Anna Sysová, and bassoonist Petr Sedlák. When they met in 2018 as the Chamber Music Academy of Czech republic scholarship recipients, continuing their collaboration felt like a natural path. Early in their formation, they became laureates of the International Competition in Chieri, Italy (2018), and the Bohuslav Martinů Foundation Competition in Prague (2019).

The members of the ensemble are graduates of prestigious music schools, including the Royal College of Music in London, the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique in Lyon, and the Haute École de Musique in Lausanne. The trio has been listed in the Young Artists’ Roster of the Czech Music Fund Foundation and regularly performs both at home and abroad. Alongside interpreting world-renowned repertoire, the trio also focuses on reviving forgotten works by Czech composers of the 20th century.

In addition to their chamber music activities, the individual members perform in leading Prague orchestras: Barbora Trnčíková in the Czech Philharmonic, Petr Sedlák in the Prague Symphony Orchestra (FOK) and the Prague Philharmonia, and Anna Sysová regularly performs with the State Opera Orchestra.

BARBORA TRNČÍKOVÁ - OBOE

Barbora has been involved in music since childhood, singing in a choir and playing the piano and recorder. At the age of 11, she began studying the oboe at the High School of Music in Prague under Professor Pavel Tylšar, graduating in 2014. She then continued her oboe studies at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague in the class of Liběna Séquardtová, where she is currently pursuing her doctoral studies. 

During the 2016/17 academic year, Barbora studied at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse in Lyon with renowned professors Jean-Louis Capezzalli and Jérôme Guichard. In 2019, she participated in the Erasmus+ program at the Royal College of Music in London, studying with Olivier Stankiewicz and Fabien Thouand.

Barbora has won several competitions, including the International Competition in Chieri (Italy, 2013), the International Competition Pro Bohemia Ostrava (2016), the National Competition of Czech Conservatories (2012), and the Gottfried von Einem Prize at ISA in Payerbach, Austria (2016). She regularly attends masterclasses across Europe, having worked with notable musicians such as Maurice Bourgue, David Walter, Jacques Tys, Christian Wetzel, and Ivan Podyomov.

Barbora has been a member of the Gustav Mahler Jugend Orchester, the European Union Youth Orchestra, and the Moritzburg Festival Academy Orchestra. She was a scholarship member of the Academy of Chamber Music in the Czech Republic, the Orchestral Academy of PKF – Prague Philharmonia, and the Czech Philharmonic. From 2020 to 2024, she held the position of solo oboe with the Brno Philharmonic, and she currently serves as the solo oboe of the Czech Philharmonic.

ANNA SYSOVÁ - CLARINET

Anna Sysová began playing the clarinet at the age of 12 under Kamil Doležal. She later studied at the Gymnasium and Music School of Prague under Milan Polák. She holds a bachelor's degree from JAMU in Brno, studying with Milan Polák and Vít Spilka, and is currently pursuing her doctoral studies at Ostrava University under clarinetist Karel Dohnal. During her studies, she completed internships at the Guildhall School of Music in London with Andrew Marriner and at the Haute Ecole de Musique in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Anna is a winner of several international competitions including the Concorso per Clarinetto Carlino 2015 in Italy, the International Competition for Woodwinds in Wroclaw 2014 in Poland, the Markneukirchener Wettbewerb 2014 in Germany, and the Czech Clarinet Art 2014 in Hořice. She leveraged her competition experience in the Prague Spring Competition, where she was awarded 2nd prize as the most successful Czech participant.
A passionate chamber musician, Anna has been a scholar at the Academy of Chamber Music and the German foundation Villa Musica Rheinland-Pfalz. She is a member of two chamber ensembles, the Kalabis Quintet and the Slavic Trio. She has participated in several tours with the Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra and the European Union Youth Orchestra (EUYO) and was a member of the Orchestra Academy of the Brno Philharmonic.

PETR SEDLÁK - BASSOON

Petr Sedlák began playing the bassoon at a music school in Jihlava before studying at the Brno Conservatoire under Pavel Zatloukal and Roman Novozámský. In 2017, he started his bachelor's studies at the prestigious Royal College of Music in London, where he studied with Julie Price, Sarah Burnett, and Andrea de Flammineis. He earned his master's degree in 2021, focusing on bassoon with Roberto Giaccaglia, Joost Bosdijk, and Emily Hultmark, as well as conducting with Howard Williams.

Petr has been a member of the orchestral academies of the English National Opera, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Czech Philharmonic, Brno Philharmonic, and the European Union Youth Orchestra (EUYO). He is a laureate of the International Woodwind Competition in Brno (2013, 2015) and the Pro Bohemia competition in Ostrava. In 2022, he became the most successful Czech participant in the bassoon competition at the Prague Spring Festival 2022.

Currently, he is a guest player with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and Bath Festival Orchestra, and he holds the position of principal bassoonist with the Prague Symphony Orchestra and the Prague Philharmonia.



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Christmas Concert - Slavic Trio

Presented films:

The Compatriot (Krajan)
winner of the 2024 Student Oscar
Director: Pavel Sýkora, Viktor Horák
Producer: FAMO
Duration: 25 min., feature film

Frontier (Hranice)
film supported by the South Moravian Film Fund
Director: Damián Vondrášek
Producers: FAMU, Background Films
Duration: 29 min., feature film

Weeds (Plevel)
Director: Pola Kazak
Producers: FAMO, MAUR film
Duration: 14 min., animated film

All films were screened with English subtitles.
www.iShorts.eu



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