Michiko Otaki, piano soloist
Itinerary of the Winter 2004 U.S. Tour
Pilsen, the industrial and cultural enter of Western Bohemia and the Czech Republic's fourth largest city, has a long and distinguished musical history with its symphonic activities extending back nearly a century when the city's first orchestra was formed by Vaclav Talich (1883-1961), with its founding organization beginning in 1908.
In 1934 the first Pilsen Philharmonic emerged from the previous body only to be interrupted by WW II. In early May, 1945, the U.S. forces liberated Pilsen and just over two weeks later on 5/24/45 the orchestra was brought together for a special concert of celebration performing Smetana's "My Country," a program which was broadcast live throughout the USA.
In 1946 the present ensemble was formed as the Pilsen Radio Orchestra, which was renamed after the Velvet Revolution, when the new cultural ministry decided that the Czech Republic needed only the one radio orchestra in Prague and it once again became the Pilsen Philharmonic Orchestra.
for more information please contact:
Raymond Weiss Artist Management, Inc.
300 West 55th Street, suite 5L
New York, New York 10019-5138
212-581-8478