The objective of the civic association YOUNG PRAGUE - THE INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL is to help promising young classical musicians such as instrumentalists, singers, chamber groups, conductors as well as composers - whose careers are just beginning - by organizing concerts at the international level for them. In this way, we hope to help them develop their careers and enable them to make friends with other young musicians from all over the world.

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Thus, the idea of founding an international music festival was born. In 1990 the festival's founders - all of whom were representatives of The International Music Society in Munich (IMGM - Internationale Musikgesellschaft Munchen) - decided to situate the festival in Czechoslovakia and gave it the name Young Prague. The first festival took place in the autumn of 1992 (from late August to early September) and showcased young musicians from eight different countries, ranging from Peru to Japan. In the same year, the Young Prague Festival's Japanese commitee was founded in Tokyo: its task is to choose the most interesting young musicians from Asia. Thanks to the constant sponsorship of the companies from Japan and Czech Republic, whose support we really appreciate, it has already been possible to hold the festival 30 times over the past 30 years. During this time, 1,000 young musicians from most European countries, USA, Peru, India, Mexico, China, Korea and Japan have performed in a total of 450 concerts. Besides them, many orchestras and choirs have taken part in the festival.

 

In 2000 the festival took place within the framework of the cultural project "Prague - the European City of Culture 2000" and in 2001 the Foundation of Dagmar and Vaclav Havel VIZE 97 was the festival's patron. The Japanese Ambassador in Prague always supports the festival as well. Since 2007, the Chairman of the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, Mr. Přemysl Sobotka, was the festival's patron and in 2017 Senate Chairman Jaroslav Kubera took over this ceremonial office. This year's festival takes place with the kind support of Senate Chairman Miloš Vystrčil. 

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On September 6, 2012 the committee of the Young Prague International Music Festival received an honorable mention from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan in recognition of activities that help to build friendly relations between Japan and other countries. The festival committee is currently composed of the following members: Tomáš Čistecký (a member of the National Theater Orchestra), Norbert Heller (pianist), and Mrs. Shihoko Finda (flautist).