A Thousand Voices of Advent – A Unique Conclusion to the Year of Czech Music

At Czech Radio, we’ve been envisioning it all year, and we can’t wait to see this idea come to life! It will happen on Sunday, December 22, in the Smetana Hall of the Municipal House, where members of forty amateur choirs from across the Czech Republic will raise their voices in a program of Czech repertoire alongside works by global masters. Accompanying them will be soloists and the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Chief Conductor Petr Popelka. This extraordinary musical event will be broadcast live by Czech Radio D-dur (4:00 PM), Czech Radio Vltava (8:15 PM), and Czech Television Art (8:15 PM).

The opportunity to perform with a professional ensemble resonated powerfully among Czech choristers—the project reached full capacity just three days after its announcement! This was followed by meticulous rehearsals, occasionally marked by moments of doubt (“It’s so high,” “We don’t have enough tenors,” “I hope we don’t fall apart,” “I’m actually a bit nervous”). Some choirs even canceled their summer breaks and continued rehearsing through the summer. Chief Conductor Petr Popelka collaborated with musicologist Lukáš Hurník to create a video tutorial to clarify tempos, dynamics, expression, and highlight challenging passages. Singers carried home scores, practice recordings, and the music truly became part of their lives.

"The concert offers amateur choirs from across the country the chance to perform alongside professional musicians in the prestigious Smetana Hall. With this event, Czech Radio seeks to reward the enthusiasm of people who dedicate their free time to choral singing, in line with its mission to support culture. The Czech Republic is renowned not only for its world-class choirs but also for its strong tradition of community choirs, which number in the hundreds and strengthen local cultural traditions and interest in music," explains René Zavoral, Director General of Czech Radio.

What motivated the singers to join this project? The opportunity to collaborate with professional musicians, perform in a magnificent venue, experience two concerts during the magical time of the fourth Sunday of Advent, and the uniqueness of the project itself.

"I’ve been looking forward to this thousand-voice choir for over two years, ever since I first heard about the idea of organizing such a concert. It’s rare to assemble an ensemble like this, and conducting so many people will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Thanks to the broadcasts by Czech Radio and Czech Television, we’ll bring a bit of this magic into many households as well. That’s what warms my heart and makes it all worthwhile," says Petr Popelka, Chief Conductor of the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra.

This evening will be not only a beautiful tribute to collective singing—an activity that enriches audiences and performers alike, both artistically and spiritually—but also a testament to the thriving state of amateur music-making in our country. It will serve as a magnificent culmination of the Year of Czech Music.