Mothers-to-be in Prague are being treated to classical music concerts for their unborn children.

The organizers believe that to educate the future public and attract more people to the concert halls, you should start from the womb.

On stage is the soprano, Irea Troubna, but she isn't singing to the usual audience at the Rudolfinum in Prague.

In the cool darkness of a concert hall, between notes effortlessly flowing from the pianists fingers and Troubna's fine voice, can be heard the cries and giggles of a very unusual audience - toddlers.

They're accompanying their mothers to a special concert aimed at pregnant women.

Marie Vitoba, mother, said, "You know every time it was very nice, when the music was quick her actions were as well like that. And especially the human voice, every time it was a very nice feeling, she was so quiet and me too."

The once-a-week concerts, which began last year, are usually packed when the weather is cold or wet, according to the organizers. But on this occasion - a warm spring day - only around 30 tickets have been sold for the event, costing between 12 and 15 USD.

Marketa Vejvodova, head of education of Prague Philharmonic, said, "You know many doctors did researches during the pregnancy, how the child reacts to the music. It is proved that music can really calm the baby, that babies that could listen to the music during pregnancy, they are more sensitive to the music. So, basically if you want to educate our future public and to make people come to the concert halls we have to think at first about mothers."

In October 2009 a group of Israeli doctors produced a study that found the soothing sounds of the 18th century composer, Mozart, might help premature babies grow faster. The findings showed Mozart lowered the quantity of energy the babies used, meaning they may be able to increase their weight faster.

The researchers used as a starting point a controversial 1993 study that showed college students improved their IQs by listening to Mozart's sonatas for 10 minutes. The findings sparked a craze that saw droves of parents buy Mozart CDs in a bid to boost their children's brain power.

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