Prager Morgenpost 20/10/1863 published advance news of this event, reporting: ‘The musical-declamatory Academy [Die musikalisch-declamatorische Akademie] for the benefit of the Academic Reading Room of German Students will take place on 29th November in the Žofín Island Hall. The Royal Saxon Court performer Mr Dawison may be participating in this Academy.’

This event was later postponed until 6/12/1863 due to a concert being given in Prague on 29/11/1863 by the Berlin pianist Leopold Lion. Prager Morgenpost 28/11/1863 reported upon this postponement: ‘The Academy for the Benefit of the Reading Room of German Students was postponed until 6th December. The Committee decided this, partly given that Professor Lion from Berlin had agreed to give a concert on 29th November in the Hall of the Žofín Island, and partly because on the aforesaid date they were expecting the arrival of a celebrity from Dresden who had promised to participate, having been sanctioned by the Royal Intendant of the Court Theatre with leave to travel to Prague.’ Notices for the postponement were published by Prager Morgenpost on 28/11/1863 and 29/11/1863 announcing: ‘The Academy [Akademie] for the Benefit of the Reading Room for German Students will for unforeseen circumstance be rescheduled to 6th December. The Committtee.’

On 5/12/1863 Prager Morgenpost reported in more detail upon the concert and its programme. A report noted: ‘Concert for the Benefit of the Reading Room of German Students. Sunday, 6th December, takes place in the Žofín Island Hall the Concert for the Benefit of the Reading Room of German Students. Programme: Concert Overture by Rubinstein; Aria from Vampyre with orchestral accompaniment, performed by mr Bachmann; Sonata in E-flat major by Beethoven, op.31 nr.III performed by Miss Dittrich; „Ermanne Dich, Deutschland“, chorus with soli and orchestral accompaniment, composed by A.M. Storch, performed by a male-voice choir, the soli sung by Messrs Bachmann, Emminger, Krén and Rafael; „Das Kind der Witwe“ by Fried. Halm, spoken by Mrs Burggraf; Aria from „Zigeunerin“ with orchestral accompaniment, performed by Mr Krén; aria by Mercadante with orchestral accompaniment, performed by Mrs Schmidt-Prochaska [Schmidt-Procházková]; „All’ Deutschland“, festival song [Festgesang] for 4-part men’s chorus with brass accompaniment by F. Abt. The direction of the concert is being undertaken by Kapellmeister Jahn, and Prof. Mildner has promised his participation [as leader of the orchestra].’

The Tagesanzeiger daily almanac of Prague social and musical events published by Prager Morgenpost 6/12/1863 announced: ‘12 noon Concert of the Reading Room of German Students (Žofín Island)’.