David Afkham

Zelt-Musik-Festival 2016 in Freiburg, Germany

David Afkham (born 1983[1]) is a German conductor.

Biography

Born in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany,[2] Afkham began violin and piano studies at age 6. At age 15, he studied at the Hochschule für Musik Freiburg, where he was a piano student of James Avery.[3] In 2002, he won the Jugend Musiziert competition.[4] In 2007, he finished his conducting studies with Nicolás Pasquet at the Hochschule für Musik "Franz Liszt" in Weimar.[5][6] One of his siblings is Micha Afkham, a violist with the Berlin Philharmonic.[1]

Afkham and the Freiburg Philharmonic Orchestra

In 2008, Afkham won the first prize of the Donatella Flick Conducting Competition,[7] and subsequently became assistant conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra.[8][9] From 2009 to 2012, he was assistant conductor of the Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra.[10]

In 2014, Afkham became principal conductor of the Orquesta Nacional de España (ONE).[11] 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.[12] In January 2023, the OCNE announced the extension of Afkham's contract through September 2026.[13] Afkham is scheduled to stand down as chief conductor of the OCNE at the close of the 2025–2026 season.[14]

Afkham has commercially recorded for such labels as Berlin Classics.[15]

References

  1. ^ a b ""Karriere ist ein seltsames Wort"". concerti.de (in German). 19 October 2016. Archived from the original on 17 December 2024. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
  2. ^ Music and vision. "Afkham, David". Archived from the original on 22 January 2009. Retrieved 31 March 2010.
  3. ^ Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. "David Afkham, Gulbenkian". Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 31 March 2010.
  4. ^ ""Ich will von innen führen"". Deutschlandfunk Kultur (in German). 16 December 2015. Archived from the original on 17 December 2024. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
  5. ^ "David Afkham übernimmt Nationalorchester Spaniens". www.radiolotte.de (in German). 30 May 2013. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
  6. ^ "Weimarer Dirigentenschmiede" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 23 May 2024. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
  7. ^ Sarah Breeden (12 January 2015). "Interview: David Afkham". London Symphony Orchestra (blog). Retrieved 18 January 2023.
  8. ^ Karen Wada (30 April 2009). "Dudamels in the making? L.A. Phil names conducting fellows". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 6 January 2010. Retrieved 31 March 2010.
  9. ^ "David Afkham gewinnt den Donatella-Flick-Dirigierwettbewerb in London". NMZ. 9 October 2018. Archived from the original on 12 October 2008. Retrieved 31 March 2010.
  10. ^ Keogh, Tom (15 March 2013). "David Afkham, Gautier Capuçon will be part of March 21-23 SSO concerts". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on 17 December 2024. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
  11. ^ Rubén Amón: "David Afkham: 'La cultura es nuestra identidad'" Archived 24 July 2015 at the Wayback Machine, El Mundo, 16 February 2015
  12. ^ "David Afkham appointed Chief Conductor & Artistic Director of Orquestra y Coro Nacional de España" (Press release). Askonas Holt. 13 February 2019. Archived from the original on 18 September 2020. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
  13. ^ "David Afkham seguirá al frente de la Orquesta y Coro Nacionales de España" (Press release). Orquestra y Coro Nacional de España. 10 January 2023. Archived from the original on 18 January 2023. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
  14. ^ "Kent Nagano será el nuevo director titular y artístico de la Orquesta y Coro Nacionales de España" (Press release). Ministerio de Cultura del Reino de España. 18 December 2024. Retrieved 26 December 2024.
  15. ^ Erica Jeal (4 May 2017). "Christiane Karg: Parfum review – gorgeous, intoxicating, liquid soprano". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 January 2023.

Further reading

Media related to David Afkham at Wikimedia Commons