David Afkham

Zelt-Musik-Festival 2016 in Freiburg, Germany

David Afkham (born 1983) is a German conductor.

Biography

Born in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany, 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. In 2002, he won the Jugend musiziert competition. In 2007, he finished his conducting studies with Nicolás Pasquet at the Hochschule für Musik "Franz Liszt" in Weimar. One of his siblings is Micha Afkham, a violist with the Berlin Philharmonic.

Afkham and the Freiburg Philharmonic Orchestra

He was Bernard Haitink's assistant and first scholarship recipient of the "Bernard Haitink Fund for Young Talent." In 2008, Afkham won the first prize of the Donatella Flick Conducting Competition, and subsequently became assistant conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra. From 2009 to 2012, he was assistant conductor of the Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra.

In 2014, Afkham became principal conductor of the Orquesta Nacional de España (ONE), his first principal conductorship. 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 concluded his tenure as chief conductor of the OCNE at the close of the 2025–2026 season, with the debut of both the ONE and Afkham at the BBC Proms in July 2026.

Afkham is married to the soprano Christiane Karg. The couple have two children. With Karg, Afkham has commercially recorded for such labels as Berlin Classics. For his services to music, Afkham was appointed Commander of the Civil Order of Alfonso X, the Wise in June 2026.

References

  1. 1 2 ""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. 1 2 Frankfurt, Oper. "Dirigenten / Repetitoren". Oper Frankfurt (in German). Retrieved 28 July 2026.
  8. ↑ Sarah Breeden (12 January 2015). "Interview: David Afkham". London Symphony Orchestra (blog). Retrieved 18 January 2023.
  9. ↑ 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.
  10. ↑ "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.
  11. ↑ 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.
  12. ↑ Rubén Amón: "David Afkham: 'La cultura es nuestra identidad'" Archived 24 July 2015 at the Wayback Machine, El Mundo, 16 February 2015
  13. ↑ "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.
  14. ↑ "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.
  15. ↑ "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.
  16. ↑ Alexandra Coghlan (20 July 2026). "Spanish National Orchestra/Afkham review – Proms debut sees orchestra's celebrations kick off early". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 July 2026.
  17. ↑ Fridemann Leipold (16 November 2023). "David Afkham beim BRSO: Fliegen wie ein Vogelschwarm". BR Klassik. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
  18. ↑ Erica Jeal (4 May 2017). "Christiane Karg: Parfum review – gorgeous, intoxicating, liquid soprano". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
  19. ↑ "David Afkham recibe la Orden Civil de Alfonso X el Sabio a meses de dejar la dirección de la Orquesta y Coro Nacionales". www.europapress.es. 30 June 2026. Retrieved 30 June 2026.

Further reading

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