Czech Philharmonic • Velvet Revolution Concert

The town Police nad Metují is the home of the Police Symphony Orchestra (PSO), an amateur ensemble of 150 instrumentalists, singers, and volunteers. The orchestra there was established in 2010 by two enthusiastic teenagers, the siblings Petr and Jakub Soukup.

Commitment, daring, freedom, and originality. That is the PSO. They play just what they enjoy: film scores, pop, rock, RnB, swing, and the classics, tearing down barriers between genres and opening the symphonic world to modern music. Since 2022, they have been performing in style with a choir of their own. Their diverse repertoire is brought to life by their three regular singers, Andrea Holá, Karolína Soukupová, and Josef Fečo. At the helm are conductors Jáchym Svoboda and Viktor Le Minh.

This orchestra has done it all, from concerts at prestigious music halls to mosh pits at rock festivals. Among its favourite concert venues are Forum Karlín, the Rudolfinum, Lucerna, and the Janáček Theatre. But they are just as happy to go all out in an ice hockey arena, among the sandstone cliffs of Adršpach, at a railway station, or on safari. They have teamed up with festivals including Smetana’s Litomyšl, the Leoš Janáček International Music Festival, and Rock for People. They are proud to have shared the stage with Tomáš Klus, Marta Kubišová, Bára Poláková, Jan Cina, the legends of the Jára Cimrman Theatre, and Prago Union. International stars they have brought to the Czech Republic include French singer Zaz and American singer-songwriter Cody Fry, a three-time Grammy nominee.

But the PSO is about far more than just music. For 16 years, they have been bringing young people together, helping wherever they are needed, and creating unforgettable experiences. The musicians all perform as volunteers, without taking a fee. Instead, they give back by supporting causes that matter, giving benefit concerts for mental health, care for the elderly, animal welfare and sick children. To date, they have raised more than CZK 4.5 million for charitable causes.

These young musicians’ inspiring journey through the music world is captured in the feature-length documentary Velký finále PSO (The Grand Finale of PSO), which hit Czech cinemas in summer 2024.

He stepped onto the podium of the Police Symphony Orchestra in 2023 and gradually took the helm of this musical rocket ship, becoming its principal conductor and artistic director. He is studying orchestral conducting at the Janáček Academy of Performing Arts in Brno, honing his skills under the guidance of Jakub Klecker, Robert Kružík, and David Švec. His conducting career is already off to an impressive start: in 2024, he won first prize at the Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra Conducting Competition, became a laureate of the Bohuslav Martinů Philharmonic’s Talentinum 2026 biennial, and served as an assistant to Jakub Hrůša at the 2026 Ševčík Academy.

When not conducting the orchestra from Police, he works with leading Czech orchestras including the Janáček Philharmonic Ostrava, the Bohuslav Martinů Philharmonic in Zlín, and the Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra. He has conducted at major Czech venues including the National Theatre in Brno, the Moravian Theatre in Olomouc, and the South Bohemian Theatre, and he has led the Hradec Králové Philharmonic. Among the collaborations he values most are projects with Václav Luks and Collegium 1704, pianist Ivo Kahánek, violinist Josef Špaček, and actor Martin Myšička.

His musical journey began at age six, violin in hand. It was at secondary school, however, that he found himself increasingly drawn to the conductor’s podium, and he is now studying conducting at the Prague Conservatoire. While performing as a violin soloist, he is gaining orchestral experience with the Czech Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, where he has been playing since 2021. He joined the Police Symphony Orchestra as a conductor in 2025, and within his first year made his debut at such iconic venues as Brno’s Janáček Theatre, the Hradec Králové Philharmonic, and Prague’s Lucerna.

A musical theatre actress, singer, and voice actress, she has performed in productions at theatres in Prague and elsewhere in the Czech Republic, including the Karlín Musical Theatre, Studio DVA, and Divadlo Bez zábradlí. In 2019, she competed to represent the Czech Republic in the Eurovision Song Contest with her own single. She has been performing with the PSO since 2025. She is currently appearing as a guest at venues including the Josef Kajetán Tyl Theatre in Pilsen, in productions of SIX, Dracula, and Sister Act.

A singer, cellist, and medical doctor, she has been a member of the Police Symphony Orchestra since 2010. One of her most memorable musical experiences was performing on Národní třída on 17 November, where she had the honour of singing A Prayer for Marta, an iconic Czech song closely associated with the Velvet Revolution. She still looks back fondly on that moment. With her band, she is currently working on an album of original music.

An actor, singer, voice actor, and graduate of the Prague Conservatoire, he has been performing on stage since the age of 13. His musical theatre credits include Frozen, The Addams Family, Bonnie & Clyde, Evita, and more. Alongside acting, he has also been working as a voice actor for more than nine years. He was a contestant on the TV talent show The Voice Česko Slovensko. He joined the Police Symphony Orchestra in 2023. He can currently be seen in several productions, including at Divadlo Lucie Bílé, the Karlín Musical Theatre, and Divadlo na Fidlovačce.