Prague, Oct 13 (CTK) – U.S. conductor of Russian origin Semyon Bychkov will be the new chief conductor of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra (CF), the successor to late Jiri Belohlavek, two insider sources have confirmed to CTK.
The CF, which is the most significant Czech orchestra, is to introduce its new chief conductor at a press conference on Monday when a new contract will be signed with him.
Bychkov, 64, has been one of the CF guest conductors since the last season. He also became the artistic director of the Tchaikovsky project which includes the CF’s recording of all of his symphonies for the firm Decca.
Bychkov was reportedly tapped as CF chief conductor a few months ago.
In August, Culture Minister Daniel Herman and CF director David Marecek met him in London, according to the ministry’s website. They discussed the CF’s future and Bychkov’s further cooperation with the orchestra.
Bychkov’s name was one of those the media have mentioned most often of all as a potential successor to Belohlavek, who died on May 31, aged 71.
The CF has had three foreign chief conductors since 1989.
“Bychkov is an outstanding musician and a very exacting conductor. His contribution to the orchestra is undisputable,” Belohlavek told CTK last year when Bychkov started cooperation with CF.
CF had its first concert in Prague in 1896 under the baton of Antonin Dvorak. Its famous chief conductors include Vaclav Talich and Rafael Kubelik.
After the 1989 fall of the communist regime, the post of CF conductor was gradually held by Belohlavek, Gerd Albrecht, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Zdenek Macal and Elijahu Inbal and from 2012 by Belohlavek again, who prolonged his contract until 2022 this January.
Born in Leningrad (now St Petersburg), Bychkov gained conductor’s experience as early as during his studies at the age of 19. In 1975, he emigrated to the USA and later acquired U.S. citizenship.
Bychkov has led almost all of the world’s important orchestras including the Berlin and Vienna philharmonics, the London Symphonic Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic, he regularly performs at the BBC Proms festivals and has also gained fame in the operatic field, conducting, for example, the orchestras of the Royal Opera House in London, New York’s Metropolitan Opera, the Vienna State Opera and the Salzburg festival.
