THE CZECH MUSIC 2004 PROGRAMME

Under the auspices of President of CR Václav and Viviene, member of European Commission.

In 2004, the Czech Republic will celebrate more than sixty anniversaries of outstanding Czech composers (Antonín, Bedřich, Leoš, Bohuslav, Josef, Josef a.o.), some renowned performers (e.g. conductor Rafael Kubelík, soprano Milada Šubrtová) as well as several music organisations (Prague Symphonic Orchestra FOK, Janáček Philharmonic Ostrava). Traditionally, the musical public immediately recognize that years ending in the numeral four are considered to be a "years of Czech music". For us, the year 2004 also has a political significance because of an accession of Czech republic into the European Union. For this reason, the Czech Ministry of Culture has decided to prepare the Czech Music 2004 supporting programme.
The primary objective of the Czech Music 2004 Programme is to assist in the promotion of projects linked to the spontaneous celebration of anniversaries, as well as assist in promotion of Czech music at home and abroad. In this way, the Czech Republic will obtain means of natural representation during the year of its admission into the European Union.
The programme should also contribute to the revival of Czech music dramaturgy by looking at interesting ways of offering these works and by engaging top performers in Czech Republic through the support of a special financial state grant.
In the European context, the objective of the Programme is also to revive musical-information and publicity networks, and to address those individuals interested in Czech music and namely in circles of the foreign professional public. To assist in the preparations of the Czech Music 2004 programme, the Ministry of Culture has established the Information Centre in the Theatre Institute.
From the point of view of the overall result, the Programme is intended for all those interested in Czech music. It will serve as an incentive to all music organisations of the Czech Republic or abroad who are bringing interesting projects of Czech music just in the year 2004, regardless of their presentation (staging, concert, visual art or publication). The names of those jubilee authors may be an inspiration including those who are often unjustly omitted from dramaturgical considerations.
All subjects from Czech republic or from abroad can be placed in the collective promotion (using the logo of the Programme). The state grant support is intended for Czech organisers only.
An extraordinary gala opening concert will take place on January 7, 2004, during the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra performances of two pieces by Antonín and by Leoš. The celebrations of musical jubilees are expected to culminate on May 2, when festivities of the Antonín anniversary come to its peak.

CULTURAL CONTEXTS:
- Czech and European music, "unity in diversity"
Since the times of Charles IV, music composed on the Czech Lands has been in an active contact with music of developed cultural regions of Europe. Even during the formation of national states in the 19th Century, the power of the European culture has been in a paradoxical "association in a diversity" that should never end in a grey consolidation and hegemonic administration. Culture is an instrument that adopts European space as one's home. Truly artistic music is immune against ideologies. It is an instrument of natural understanding. In this way, the Czech music gives inspiration not only to Czech, but also to European or world culture.