Central Library (Great Hall) | Wednesday, March 25th, 2026
I am stepping outside my usual routine today, but every rule deserves an exception. I want to draw your attention to an event shaped by a “gut feeling”—something I am only just beginning to understand.
Pavel Klikar, the Czech musician, teacher, and founder of the Original Prague Syncopated Orchestra, passed away on February 14th. To be honest, I won’t pretend to be an expert on his history or his accolades. I knew the band, but I didn’t know the man behind it. I won’t be a hypocrite and claim a personal grief I didn’t earn; when I first saw the news on social media, he was a stranger to me.
Pavel Klikar, the Czech musician, teacher, and founder of the Original Prague Syncopated Orchestra, passed away on February 14th. To be honest, I won’t pretend to be an expert on his history or his accolades. I knew the band, but I didn’t know the man behind it. I won’t be a hypocrite and claim a personal grief I didn’t earn; when I first saw the news on social media, he was a stranger to me.
But then, the stories started coming.
People I respect and value began approaching me, asking if I’d heard the news. When I admitted he was unknown to me, they began to share. I heard about his life as a mentor, a colleague, and a musician. Some stories were “good,” some were complicated, but they all shared a common thread: they were told with genuine emotion and a sense that something vital had been lost.
It became clear to me that Pavel Klikar was a rare soul, even if the digital world has little to say about him.
Tomorrow, I will attend this sold-out tribute at the Central Library. I’m going there to learn. I want to capture the atmosphere of this evening so that you, too, can experience a piece of this unique chapter in Czech music history. With both new and former members of the Orchestra—and likely many guests—performing in his honor, I hope to find the man behind the music.
I will have the full story and photographs ready for you on Thursday.
It became clear to me that Pavel Klikar was a rare soul, even if the digital world has little to say about him.
Tomorrow, I will attend this sold-out tribute at the Central Library. I’m going there to learn. I want to capture the atmosphere of this evening so that you, too, can experience a piece of this unique chapter in Czech music history. With both new and former members of the Orchestra—and likely many guests—performing in his honor, I hope to find the man behind the music.
I will have the full story and photographs ready for you on Thursday.
Original Prague Syncopated Orchestra 2024-25
