North Czech Philharmonic

The North Czech Philharmonic is based in the town of Teplice, Czech Republic in the very heart of Europe. The foundation charter and official ratification of the North Czech Philharmonic dating back to the year 1838 makes this one of the oldest orchestras in Europe.

From 1948 there was a big succession of chief conductors, most notably:  Martin Turnovský, Libor Pešek and Vladimír Válek, Tomáš Koutníkand others.  From July 1997 the young Canadian conductor Charles Olivieri-Munroe, who previously had served as associate conductor with the Brno Philharmonic Orchestra, took up the position of the chief conductor.  Under his charismatic artistic leadership the period from 1997 to the present has represented a golden era for the orchestra.  The North Czech Philharmonic has seen unprecedented artistic growth as well as a stable financial footing provided by the effective stewardship provided by its managing director, Mr. Roman Dietz.  Thanks to this unprecedented period of blossoming development the orchestra has enjoyed record audience attendance as never before in its past, increased invitations to perform abroad as well as recording projects for radio and commercial purposes.

The North Czech Philharmonic regularly performs in prestigious domestic music festivals like the Prague Spring International Festival, the Antonín Dvořák Festival, the Beethoven Music Festival, the Český Krumlov Festival, the Gustav Mahler Festival, the Leoš Janáček Festival and others. The orchestra also tours each year outside the Czech Republic, performing in countries throughout Europe, including: Germany, Italy, Austria, Spain, Switzerland, Monaco, France, Belgium, Denmark, Portugal, Croatia, Slovenia, Hungary, Slovakia, Serbia, and Malta.  In autumn 2013 the North Czech Philharmonic Teplice absolved a concert tour to Asia, where the orchestra visited Vietnam, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Singapur, Malajsia and Brunei. The orchestra played by the attendance of the royal families as in the capital of Malajsia, Kuala Lumpur, in the concert hall Dewan Filharmonik Petronas or in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia or in Brunei in Bandar Segi Begawar. In the future years there are planned concert tours to Thailand and China, but also to Brasil, Chile, Argentinia or Uruguay. Foreign critics often point out the mostly young make up of the orchestra, and its energetic, emotional and soulful ensemble playing. At home in Teplice the North Czech Philharmonic performs alongside the most famous contemporary musicians, such Misha Maisky, Sharon Kam, Shlomo Mintz,Kun-woo Paik and others. At the same time the orchestra devotes many concerts to younger audiences in the form of educational concerts.

Since 1964 the North Czech Philharmonic is also responsible for running the Ludwig van Beethoven Music Festival in recognition of the composer who not only visited this urban home of the orchestra but was also inspired by the town and its surroundings to write several of his most famous compositions.