Viola Czech Youth Choir at Heyde Center for the Arts
May 15 @ 1:00 pm CDT
Viola, an internationally recognized choir of 24 Czech youth, will kick off its 2026 US tour at the Heyde Center for the Arts with traditional and contemporary music Friday, May 15 at 1 p.m. The children’s choir Viola performs a rich mixture of folk, spirituals, classical, early music, and modern choral works, showing both traditional Czech influences and broader European choral traditions. These inspiring young voices have sung to audiences in Germany, France, England, Poland, Italy and the US, as well as several locations in the Czech Republic.
Viola originates from the Primary School of Žamberk in eastern Czech Republic. Žamberk and Rice Lake, Wisconsin, became sister cities in 1993 and have experienced decades of educational and cultural exchanges. Rice Lake International Friendship Association volunteers are organizing the 2026 Viola tour. Led by choirmaster Jaromir Zejdlik, Viola offers concerts throughout Czech’s Pardubice region and has earned awards in several competitions. Participants are mostly aged 7-12, and some alumni continue to mentor and participate.
This is Viola’s second US tour. In 2010 they sang for audiences in Pennsylvania and New York. More recently, an anticipated Wisconsin concert tour was cancelled due to the pandemic.
Students and chaperones will stay with Rice Lake host families as they experience the community in several educational and community venues. Viola will also perform at Ceska Opera House in Haugen, at Rice Lake Rotary Club, and with other Rice Lake youth in schools and church events. The choir will also perform in the Twin Cities.
A free will offering will support expenses for Heyde Center and the Viola tour.