PHILOKALLIAProgramme
CONCERTS
The Tradition of Thessaloniki
A Byzantine Music Concert
5 October 2026, 7:30 PM
This concert presents the rich Byzantine musical tradition of Thessaloniki, performed by the city’s prominent protopsaltis Petros Papaemmanouil. The programme features early chants from Thessaloniki’s monasteries alongside works by the city’s great Byzantine masters, including Athanasios Karamanis, Charilaos Taliadoros, and others. The performance also includes select contemporary arrangements of Byzantine music by Thessaloniki composer T. Papakonstantinou (The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom) rendered by the Philokallia Ensemble.
Petros Papaemmanouil (Greece): psaltis
Silva Morasten (Czech Republic): solo voice
Philokallia Ensemble, artistic director: Marios Christou
The concert is held under the auspices of the Embassy of the Hellenic Republic in Prague and H.E. Ambassador Dinos Konstantinou.
Venue: Church of St. Wenceslas at Zderaz, Resslova 300/6 120 00, Prague 2
Admission: 300 CZK, 150 CZK (students, seniors)
Tickets available online here
Tickets are also available at the venue one hour before the beginning of each concert.
Byzantium in Café Zasekávák!
or
A Different Side of Byzantium
10 October 2026, 7:30 PM
Traditionally, one concert of the festival is dedicated to folk music from various regions of the former Byzantine Empire (Asia Minor, Cyprus, Thrace, Constantinople, and more). This time, Greek and Mediterranean songs from Cyprus, Crete, the Greek islands, and Asia Minor will be performed by Cypriot singer Angelika Christodoulou and the Althaia Ensemble.
Althaia Ensemble:
Angelika Christodoulou (Cyprus): vocals
Barbora Špádová (Czech Republic): vocals, flutes
Giorgos Kalamakis (Greece): oud, vocals
Petr Mastroiany (Czech Republic): percussion
More information about the project can be found at https://reckemelodie.cz/
Venue: Zasekávák, Jaselská 246/20, 160 00 Prague 6-Bubeneč
Admission: 300 CZK, 200 CZK (students, seniors)
Tickets available online here
Tickets are also available at the venue one hour before the beginning of each concert.
The Legacy of Alexander Kastalsky (1856–1926)
11 October 2026, 7:30 PM
A concert marking a double anniversary of the prominent composer Alexander D. Kastalsky, whose work fundamentally shaped the development of Russian sacred choral music, influencing major figures such as Sergei Rachmaninoff and Pavel Chesnokov.
Programme: Alexander D. Kastalsky: Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom for female voices (selections), psalms for male choir, and other works. The programme will be complemented by authentic early Russian chants used by Kastalsky in his compositions, performed by soloist Hasan El-Dunia.
Hasan El-Dunia: tenor
Akordum (female voices), conductor: Ondřej Kunovský
Láska Opravdivá (male voices), conductor: Jan Špaček
Venue: Church of St. Catherine of Alexandria, Viničná 2, 128 00, Prague 2
Admission: 250 CZK, 150 CZK (students, seniors)
Tickets available online here
Tickets are also available at the venue one hour before the beginning of each concert.
Philokallia of Today
Contemporary Sacred Music
14 October 2026, 7:30 PM
Programme
Alfred Schnittke: Concerto for Choir
Jan Ryant Dřízal: Two Sacred Songs – World Premiere
Pražští pěvci (Prague Singers), conductor: Stanislav Mistr
Venue: Church of St. Wenceslas at Zderaz, Resslova 300/6 120 00, Prague 2
Admission: 300 CZK, 150 CZK (students, seniors)
Tickets available online here
Tickets are also available at the venue one hour before the beginning of each concert.
Spasi Bože…
A tribute to Miroslav Košler
21 October 2026, 7:30 PM
It is a little known fact that Miroslav Košler, a prominent Czech chorus master had a strong relationship to Orthodox music. This is evident from his numerous arrangements of Orthodox music (e.g. his CD Spasi Bože) and also from his teaching career. He was notably the first to teach the craft of conducting Orthodox Music to the Greek choir conductors Solon Kladas and Marios Christou, the director of Archaion Kallos festival. This concert will present works which M. Košler loved, conducted and arranged, rendered by his students and colleagues.
Programme: Orthodox sacred chants by P. Chesnokov, P. I. Tchaikovsky, S. Rachmaninoff, A. A. Arkhangelsky, and original choral arrangements by M. Košler
Prague Mixed Choir, conductor: Jan Steyer
VUS UK – Charles University Choir in Prague, conductor: Filip Dvořák
Chamber Choir of the Prague Conservatory, conductor: Miriam Němcová
Venue: Church of Ss. Cyril and Methodius, Resslova 9a, Prague 2
Admission: 250 CZK, 150 CZK (students, seniors)
Tickets available online here
Tickets are also available at the venue one hour before the beginning of each concert.
CHURCH SERVICE (free entry):
Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom with authentic Byzantine chant
4 October 2026, 10:00 A.M.
A service featuring authentic Byzantine chant, performed by Greek protopsaltis Petros Papaemmanouil.
Petros Papaemmanouil (Greece, Thessaloniki): protopsaltis
with the accompaniment (isokratema) of
the Male choir of the Church of the Nativity of the Theotokos in Malá Chuchle,
artistic director: Marios Christou
