SEMYON BYCHKOV: New Chief Conductor and Music Director at CZECH PHILHARMONIC

On 10 October 2018, Semyon Bychkov officially begins his appointment as Chief Conductor and Music Director of the 122 year old Czech Philharmonic.

The three opening concerts, two in Prague and one in Bratislava, feature Mahler's Symphony No. 2, Resurrection, the following week Bychkov will conduct three performances of Berio's Sinfonia and Dvořák's Symphony No. 7. Later in the month, Bychkov and the Orchestra will travel to London to mark the centenary of the creation of the former Czechoslovakia, before embarking on an extensive tour of the United States.

Bychkov first conducted the Czech Philharmonic in February 2013 in a programme of Wagner, Mendelssohn and Brahms. Shortly afterwards he was named Artistic Director: The Tchaikovsky Project which launched in October 2016 with Decca's release of The Tchaikovsky Project Vol. 1 featuring Symphony No. 6 Pathétique and Romeo & Juliet Fantasy-Overture. Vol. 2 – a recording of Tchaikovsky's Manfred Symphony - followed in 2017. Over the course of three years, The Tchaikovsky Project will include the release of all Tchaikovsky’s symphonies, the three piano concertos, Serenade for Strings and Francesca da Rimini in addition to residencies in Prague, Paris and Vienna.

The Czech Philharmonic’s Chief Executive Officer David Mareček and General Manager Robert Hanč welcomed Semyon Bychkov: "We are thrilled and delighted that Maestro Semyon Bychkov will be taking up the position of Chief Conductor and Music Director of the Czech Philharmonic. Maestro Bychkov brings out the very best in our musicians, as did his much-loved.