The St. Wenceslas Music Festival (SHF) is the largest international festival of sacred and so-called early music in the Czech Republic. Since its inception in 2004, SHF has been held annually not only in Ostrava, but also in many churches throughout the Moravian-Silesian Region during the month of September (the first 10 years took place between two public holidays, September 28 - October 28). Traditionally, more than thirty concerts are celebrated by the feast of St. Wenceslas, representing the symbol of Czech statehood.
The main goal of SHF is the presentation of the so-called informed interpretation of early and sacred music in sacred spaces, in an effort to restore this music to its original meaning. High quality festival dramaturgy of the director of SHF doc. Mgr. Igor Františák, Ph.D. is guided by three main lines: monumental vocal-instrumental concerts, programs focused on the so-called authentic interpretation of early music and chamber and solo projects, which are annually supplemented by non-traditional and crossover projects. SHF systematically supports the talents of the young generation, presents the winners of prestigious competitions, modern premieres and unique projects (crossover projects, ballet, video art or film in the church). He also patriotistly takes care of the genius loci by presenting concerts by Moravian-Silesian natives of European artistic parameters and works by forgotten composers who have lived and created in the region since the Baroque period. The prestigious SHF residential ensembles are Collegium 1704, Collegium Marianum, Czech Philharmonic Choir Brno.
