New for this year’s competition – the Audience Prize

We’ve introduced something new for this year’s Prague Spring competition, namely the Audience Prize, the recipient of which will be chosen by visitors who attend the final round concerts. The winners of the Audience Prize will also receive a financial reward, donated by members of the Friends of the Prague Spring: in the case of the violin category this is Andrei Sorokin, while the Audience Prize for French horn is sponsored by Mrs Karla Lažanská. A patron of the festival for many years, she has a personal affinity with this instrument: “I was very taken with the French horn right from the start, when I was present at an audition for a position in the Prague Symphony Orchestra, where I was working at the time. Back then it was Petr Hernych who was playing; he’s now a professor and has taught a number of wonderful successors. I, myself, had the chance some years ago to be of assistance to the hornist Hana Lišková. And in acknowledgement of the opportunity I had back then to hear such wonderful playing, I never hesitate for a moment to support young horn players. I look forward to seeing them and hearing their music and I’m keeping my fingers crossed.”

You will be able to assess the performances of the individual finalists yourselves in the Rudolfinum during the final rounds on 13 and 14 May, where the best players from the entire competition will be battling it out. Members of the audience will be given voting slips which they may place in special boxes after the concert. The winner of the Audience Prize will be announced that same evening during the prize-giving ceremony.

Become a part of the Prague Spring competition and decide which candidate has captured the heart of the public!