History of FIJO

The City of Cheb, a historical town in western Bohemia, serves as a gateway to the Czech Republic from Bavaria, Thuringia, and Saxony. It lies in one of the most picturesque regions of the country, surrounded by the Bohemian Forest, the Ore Mountains, and the Slavkov Forest Protected Landscape Area.

Since 1970, Cheb has been the proud host of the INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF YOUTH WIND ORCHESTRAS – FIJO (le Festival International des Jeunes Orchestres Instruments à vent).

The festival was founded thanks to the vision and dedication of Mr. Václav Kučera, a passionate musician, conductor, and founder of the Cheb Youth Wind Orchestra, who also taught at the local music school. His idea was embraced by leading figures of the Czech music scene—renowned conductors and composers such as Jindřich Praveček, Karel Vacek, Jaromír Vejvoda, and Václav Poncar. With the support of Cheb’s city officials, local businesses, institutions, and many devoted citizens, the city welcomed 13 wind orchestras from eight European countries in 1970, marking the launch of the first edition of the FIJO CHEB international festival.

• Over the years, the festival has hosted around 500 orchestras and majorette groups from all over the world.
• FIJO is held biennially.
• A highlight of the program is the joint performance of two compositions by all participating orchestras.
• The festival’s symbolic anthem is “Prapory zavlajte” (Let the Banners Fly) by Jindřich Praveček.

FIJO CHEB has become a cultural highlight not only for the city itself but for the broader region and beyond. Hosting a festival of such scale and tradition since the year 1970 is a testament to the city’s commitment to fostering cultural life of European significance. Today, the Cheb festival is a sought-after musical event for orchestras across all Europe.