Robert Hanč Appointed Director of the Prague Spring Festival from 1 January, 2026

At its meeting on 1 December 2025, the festival’s Board of Directors appointed Robert Hanč, until now General Manager and Artistic Director of the Czech Philharmonic, as the new Director of Pražské jaro, o. p. s. His appointment was made on the recommendation of the international selection committee. Robert Hanč will assume office on 1 January 2026. “To take the helm of a festival with such a rich history and international reputation is truly an honour and a profound responsibility. It is with great humility that I wish to build on the legacy of my predecessors and, together with my colleagues, develop it further to the highest possible standard. I greatly look forward to working with the festival’s Board of Directors, Supervisory Board and Artistic Board, as well as with the festival team, whose dedication and expertise are absolutely essential to the future of Prague Spring. I am confident that, through our shared efforts, we will guide this institution towards further success,” says on his appointment.

Mgr. Robert Hanč (born 1977) is a Czech music manager and educator who has served as General Manager and Artistic Director of the Czech Philharmonic since 2011. He studied clarinet at the Pardubice Conservatoire and English Studies, American Studies and Musicology at the Faculty of Arts of Masaryk University. He further broadened his education through study placements at Queen’s University and the University of London. Between 2005 and 2011 he was Orchestra Manager of the Brno Philharmonic, before joining the Czech Philharmonic.

Winning business plan proposal for the Prague Spring Festival
Press release

Composition of the international selection committee
Roman Bělor, Chair of the selection committee, member of the Board of Directors of Prague Spring
Běla Bakulová, Chief of Staff to the Minister of Culture, Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic
Martin Glaser, theatre director, Director of the National Theatre Brno
Richard Hindls, economist, Chair of the Supervisory Board of Prague Spring, Emeritus Rector of the University of Economics, Prague
Jiří Hlaváč, performer, composer, educator and publicist, member of the Board of Directors of Prague Spring
Sam Jackson, Controller of BBC Radio 3 and BBC Proms
Cornelia Schmid, Honorary President of the KD Schmid artist agency
Miroslav Srnka, composer, member of the Artistic Board of Prague Spring, Professor of Composition at the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln
Marián Turner, flautist, dramaturge and music manager, Chief Executive of the Slovak Philharmonic
Jan Žemla, music manager, musicologist and pianist, Director of the Janáček Philharmonic Ostrava and the Leoš Janáček International Music Festival