Vladimír Válek

Czech conductor Vladimír Válek was born in Nový Jičín on 2 September 1935. He studied trombone and viola at the Kroměříž Conservatory, then conducting with Ľudovít Rajter at the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava and later at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague.

From 1966 until 1974 he was chief conductor of the Vít Nejedlý Army Art Ensemble Symphony Orchestra, and from 1969 until 1971 he was second conductor of the North Bohemian Philharmonic in Teplice.

In 1970 he founded the Dvořák Chamber Orchestra, where he worked as a player and also as artistic director.

From 1975 until 1986 he was conductor of the Prague Symphony Orchestra, and during this time toured Europe and the USA with this group.

From 1985 until 2011 he was chief conductor of the Czechoslovak Radio Symphony Orchestra, and in 1996 was conductor of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2000 he was principal guest conductor of the Osaka Symphony Orchestra, and from 2004 until 2007 he was chief conductor of the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra.

Vladimír Válek died on 16 February 2025, aged eighty-nine.

 

A selection of articles about Vladimír Válek

Classical music news - February 2025 Obituaries - Our summary of those the classical music world has lost this month

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