David Afkham (born 1983) is a German

conductor Conductor or conduction may refer to: Biology and medicine * Bone conduction, the conduction of sound to the inner ear * Conduction aphasia, a language disorder Mathematics * Conductor (ring theory) * Conductor of an abelian variety * Cond ...

Biography

Born in

Freiburg im Breisgau Freiburg im Breisgau or simply Freiburg is the List of cities in Baden-Württemberg by population, fourth-largest city of the German state of Baden-Württemberg after Stuttgart, Mannheim and Karlsruhe. Its built-up area has a population of abou ...

, Germany, Afkham began violin and piano studies at age 6. At age 15, he studied at the

Hochschule für Musik Freiburg The Hochschule für Musik Freiburg ("University of Music Freiburg or Freiburg Conservatory of Music") is a public music academy subsidized by the State of Baden-Württemberg for academic research and artistic and pedagogical training in music. ...

, where he was a piano student of James Avery. In 2002, he won the competition. In 2007, he finished his conducting studies with

Nicolás Pasquet Nicolás Pasquet (born 1958) is a conductor from Uruguay and professor of conducting. Biography Born in 1958 in Montevideo, Uruguay, Pasquet studied violin and conducting at the National Music College. He later studied in Germany, violin at the ...

at the Hochschule für Musik "Franz Liszt" in

Weimar Weimar is a city in the state (Germany), German state of Thuringia, in Central Germany (cultural area), Central Germany between Erfurt to the west and Jena to the east, southwest of Leipzig, north of Nuremberg and west of Dresden. Together w ...

. One of his siblings is Micha Afkham, a violist with the

Berlin Philharmonic The Berlin Philharmonic () is a German orchestra based in Berlin. It is one of the most popular, acclaimed and well-respected orchestras in the world. Throughout the 20th century, the orchestra was led by conductors Wilhelm Furtwängler (1922� ...

In 2008, Afkham won the first prize of the

Donatella Flick Conducting Competition The Donatella Flick Conducting Competition is an international music competition for young conductors, held biennially in London. History The Donatella Flick Conducting Competition is named after the philanthropist Donatella Flick, who founded ...

, and subsequently became assistant conductor of the

London Symphony Orchestra The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) is a British symphony orchestra based in London. Founded in 1904, the LSO is the oldest of London's orchestras, symphony orchestras. The LSO was created by a group of players who left Henry Wood's Queen's ...

. From 2009 to 2012, he was assistant conductor of the

Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester (GMJO) is a youth orchestra based in Vienna, Austria, founded in 1986 by conductor Claudio Abbado, and named after Gustav Mahler. It is an associated member of the European Federation of National Youth Orchestras. ...

. In 2014, Afkham became principal conductor of the

Orquesta Nacional de España The Orquesta Nacional de España (Spanish National Orchestra) is a Spanish orchestra based in Madrid. History Although the orchestra originated as of 1937, during the Spanish Civil War, it was legally founded in 1940, by the merging of Pérez Casa ...

(ONE). In February 2019, the ONE announced the elevation of Afkham's title with the orchestra to chief conductor and artistic director of the ''Orquesta y Coro Nacional de España'' (OCNE), effective with the 2019–2020 season. In January 2023, the OCNE announced the extension of Afkham's contract through September 2026. Afkham is scheduled to stand down as chief conductor of the OCNE at the close of the 2025–2026 season. Afkham has commercially recorded for such labels as Berlin Classics.

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External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Afkham, David German male conductors (music) Living people 1983 births Hochschule für Musik Freiburg alumni Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt, Weimar alumni 21st-century German conductors (music) 21st-century German male musicians Musicians from Freiburg im Breisgau

Biography

References

Further reading

External links