Young Artists Stage: Third Edition @ Café Anežka — 9.6.2026
The third edition of the Young Artists Stage, presented last night by Prague Impro Room at Café Anežka, was precisely what it was supposed to be. It kicked off with an exclusive workshop by acclaimed Czech jazz guitarist David Dorůžka, rolled into a couple of short concerts by some of the fastest-rising stars in the Czech music scene, and finished with a late-night jam session as the perfect topping on the cake.
David Dorůžka’s workshop wasn’t a dry lecture on heavy music theory. Instead, he brought a wonderfully down-to-earth style where he simply let the guitar do the talking—an approach highly appreciated by the participants, especially those who joined David on stage for a brief session. David mentioned to me afterward that since many of the musicians attending are his regular students, the classroom already takes care of the strict theory. As a total layman in that world, his practical approach sounded like pure common sense to me!
High-Class Music
Just like the previous editions of the Young Artists Stage, the workshop paved the way for some truly phenomenal jazz. First up on the evening’s schedule was the guitar duo of Kateřina Hošková & Adam Doucha. While I have heard both of these rising stars perform in different setups before, I had never seen them together as a duo. Their individual talents were no surprise, but their collective teamwork completely amazed me. Both have taken massive strides in their development.
Kateřina looks increasingly comfortable with her stage presence. With that comfort comes a noticeable growth in self-confidence and a willingness to push her instrument into daring new dimensions. Adam seems to have a bit more stage experience, and his biggest leap forward is in his technical execution. It is crystal clear he has been practicing hard, and the results speak for themselves—all achieved without losing the most important element of all: pure feeling. Give me a heads-up next time you two play together, guys; I’ll be there!
Next to conquer the stage was the Robert Forejtek Jazz Group, featuring Robert Forejtek on sax, Adam Doucha on guitar, Ondřej Létal on bass, and Petr Hošek on drums. This is a quartet with limitless possibilities; that is how entirely convincing their performance was last night. With the exception of the bassist, I already knew these musicians well, so I knew I was playing it safe—and I certainly wasn’t disappointed.
Robert’s saxophone style is melodic and sensitive, yet you can instantly sense there is a deep well of power still waiting to be unleashed. Behind the kit, Petr plays like he has never done anything else in his life. His style is so economical and laid-back that every single movement translates directly into the groove. He doesn’t need flashy theatrics to show who he is; his drums do all the talking. Ondřej on bass was a brand-new revelation for me—a young virtuoso who left me wondering how I haven’t run into him before. With skills like his, he would be a massive asset to any ensemble in the city.
This excellent Young Artists Stage series is taking a well-deserved summer break now and will return on the 15th of September. I will share more details as we get closer to the date. In the meantime, remember the names of the young musicians I just mentioned. If you see them on a local lineup, go buy a ticket—they are worth every bit of it!
To see all the evening’s pictures click HERE!
