CNSO - Czech National Symphony Orchestra

ČNSO performing and continuously growing for 26 years, the CNSO has earned an enviable reputation among both Czech and Europe’s top symphonic ensembles. Renowned for its versatility, the orchestra annually presents a broad programme ranging from classical music concerts to contemporary genres, film scores, jazz and musicals.

Program and tickets

Since 2005 the Czech National Symphony Orchestra has also organized the International Music Festival Prague Proms, which with its impressive array of prominent international performers, appeals to a diverse audience year in year out.

Composers, conductors, and performers such as Ennio Morricone, Lalo Schifrin, James Morrison, Branford & Wynton Marsalis, Pino Donnagio, Giuliano Taviani, José Carreras, Danny Elfman, Vince Mendoza, Giuseppe Tornatore, Carl Davis, Steven Mercurio, Marcello Rota, Christian Lindberg, Chick Corea, Vladimir Cosma repeatedly come back to Prague to either record with the orchestra or perform in the beautiful Smetana Hall at Prague’s Municipal House, the home concert stage of the orchestra.

Highlights from recent concert seasons include a European tour with the legendary Ennio Morricone, and a Prague concert with Anna Netrebko. Meanwhile in the studio the orchestra worked on recording of Plácido Domingo and Vittorio Grigolo‘s new Christmas album, also collaborating with Ennio Morricone on his score for the new western film “The Hateful Eight” directed by Quentin Tarantino.

Ennio Morricone then went on to win an Oscar after 500 movie credits! The soundtrack was recorded live and launched by Tarantino, Morricone, and the CNSO at Abbey Road Studios in December 2015. Following on from the collaboration with Columbia Artists Management Inc., the orchestra toured the USA in February and March 2016. In 2017, the orchestra toured extensively with Ennio Morricone and James Newton Howard.

The CNSO has also renewed its longstanding cooperation with Andrea Bocelli, plus accompanied Rolando Villazon and Jonas Kaufmann. The orchestra has collaborated with some of the most prominent pop artists, such as Sting, George Michael, Natalie Cole, Dianne Reeves, Angélique Kidjo, Denise Donatelli, Ute Lemper, and great instrumentalists, such as James Morrison, Branford & Wynton Marsalis, Bobby Shew, Joe Lovano, John Abercrombie, John Patitucci, Dave Weckl, Chick Corea and many more.

Successful tours have taken place over the British Isles, USA, Canada, France, Spain, Dubai, Japan, Mexico, China, South Korea, Oman, Australia and New Zealand. The Czech National Symphony Orchestra’s recordings go on sale worldwide, and the orchestra takes pride in having produced a number of Gold CDs (for more than 30 000 copies sold).

Other accolades include the Gustav Mahler Prize, awarded for the interpretation of Mahler’s works, and the prestigious contract the orchestra signed with IMG Artists London and The Czech National Symphony Orchestra. Columbia Artists New York. Achievements also include a long-standing recording project in association with Tokyo-based media company JVC Victor Entertainment.

Steven Mercurio - music director

A versatile, esteemed conductor and arranger with experience from the MET as well as the world of jazz and pop. He has collaborated with Sting, Murray F. Abraham as well as the Prague Proms 2018 along with the ČNSO and Chick Corea. Concerts of Steven Mercurio →

Marcello Rota - conductor

Marcello Rota’s opera repertoire comprises more than 30 works. Over the past few years, together with the CNSO he delivered 44 concerts around the capital cities and cultural centres of both Europe as well as the United Arab Emirates, Australia and New Zealand where they accompanied the famous tenor Andrea Bocelli.

Vince Mendoza - conductor

Stellar jazzman, arranger and composer. Collaboration with Vince means top calibre for the orchestra in the jazz domain involving other artists including Joe Lovano, John Abercrombie, Randy Brecker and others.