SUK CHAMBER ORCHESTRA was established in 1974. It is named after Josef Suk (1874 – 1935), the outstanding Czech composer.
Till year 2000 his grandson, famous Czech violinist Josef Suk (1929 – 2011) was artistic leader of the orchestra.The orchestra is one of the leading chamber orchestras in the Czech Republic. At present its concert master Martin Kos is artistic leader and also soloist of the orchestra. He continues the work of the late great Maestro.
The orchestra has steady cast and its first players are simultaneously soloists. The orchestra is performing without conductor and its repertory includes works from baroque to contemporary music.
Besides domestic concert activities the orchestra has performed in many European countries and music festivals ( Prague Spring Festival, Salzburger Festspiele, Wiener Festwochen, Schleswig Holstein Festival ), in the USA, Brasil, Chile. Equador, Peru, in China, South Korea and in 2010 it realized its 11th concert tour in Japan where it cooperated also with Japanese soloists, especially violinist Mariko Senju.
In the period 1996 – 2006 the orchestra was organizer of the international festival of chamber music „Musical Jewels from Prague through Europe to the World“. Since 2008 the orchestra has regular subscription concert series, where it has performed all fundamental compositions that Maestro Suk conducted and performed as soloist with the orchestra.
In 2014 the Suk Chamber Orchestra celebrated the 40th anniversary of its foundation. The orchestra has recorded over 30 CDs. In 2002 it received the prestigeous award „World Prize of Antonín Dvořák“ for outstanding contributions to music and promotion of traditional Czech performing arts and represenation of the Czech Republic abroad.