David Afkham

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Zelt-Musik-Festival 2016 in Freiburg, Germany

David Afkham (born 1983) is a German conductor.

Biography[edit]

Born in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany,[1] 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.[2] 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

In 2008, Afkham won the first prize of the Donatella Flick Conducting Competition,[3] and subsequently became assistant conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra.[4][5] 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).[6] In February 2019, the ONE announced the elevation of Afkham's title with the orchestra to chief conductor and artistic director of the Orquestra y Coro Nacional de España (OCNE), effective with the 2019-2020 season.[7] In January 2023, the OCNE announced the extension of Afkham's contract through September 2026.[8]

Afkham has commercially recorded for such labels as Berlin Classics.[9]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Music and vision. "Afkham, David". Retrieved 31 March 2010.
  2. ^ Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. "David Afkham, Gulbenkian". Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 31 March 2010.
  3. ^ Sarah Breeden (2015-01-12). "Interview: David Afkham". London Symphony Orchestra (blog). Retrieved 2023-01-18.
  4. ^ Karen Wada (April 30, 2009). "Dudamels in the making? L.A. Phil names conducting fellows". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 31 March 2010.
  5. ^ "David Afkham gewinnt den Donatella-Flick-Dirigierwettbewerb in London". NMZ. 2018-10-09. Retrieved 31 March 2010.
  6. ^ Rubén Amón: "David Afkham: 'La cultura es nuestra identidad'", El Mundo, 16 February 2015
  7. ^ "David Afkham appointed Chief Conductor & Artistic Director of Orquestra y Coro Nacional de España" (Press release). Askonas Holt. 13 February 2019. Retrieved 2023-01-18.
  8. ^ "David Afkham seguirá al frente de la Orquesta y Coro Nacionales de España" (Press release). Orquestra y Coro Nacional de España. 10 January 2023. Retrieved 2023-01-18.
  9. ^ Erica Jeal (2017-05-04). "Christiane Karg: Parfum review – gorgeous, intoxicating, liquid soprano". The Guardian. Retrieved 2023-01-18.

External links[edit]