David Afkham

Born in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany,{{cite web|author=Music and vision|title=Afkham, David|url=http://www.mvdaily.com/news/item.cgi?id=301970|date=|accessdate=31 March 2010|archive-date=22 January 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090122153742/http://www.mvdaily.com/news/item.cgi?id=301970|url-status=live}} 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.{{cite web|author=Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation|author-link=Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation|title=David Afkham, Gulbenkian|url=http://www.musica.gulbenkian.pt/cgi-bin/wnp_db_dynamic_record.pl?dn=db_musica_bios_pt&sn=musica&orn=1616|accessdate=31 March 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719050043/http://www.musica.gulbenkian.pt/cgi-bin/wnp_db_dynamic_record.pl?dn=db_musica_bios_pt&sn=musica&orn=1616|archive-date=19 July 2011|url-status=dead}} In 2002, he won the {{Lang|de|Jugend Musiziert}} competition.{{cite web | title="Ich will von innen führen" | website=Deutschlandfunk Kultur | date=16 December 2015 | url=https://www.deutschlandfunkkultur.de/dirigent-david-afkham-ich-will-von-innen-fuehren-100.html | language=de | access-date=21 October 2024 | archive-date=17 December 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241217220956/https://www.deutschlandfunkkultur.de/dirigent-david-afkham-ich-will-von-innen-fuehren-100.html | url-status=live }} In 2007, he finished his conducting studies with Nicolás Pasquet at the Hochschule für Musik "Franz Liszt" in Weimar.{{cite web | title=David Afkham übernimmt Nationalorchester Spaniens | website=www.radiolotte.de | date=30 May 2013 | url=https://old.radiolotte.de/nachricht/24272 | language=de | access-date=21 October 2024}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.hfm-weimar.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Publikationen/LISZT-Magazin/LISZT-Magazin_Weimarer_Dirigentenschmiede.pdf |title=Weimarer Dirigentenschmiede |access-date=20 December 2024 |archive-date=23 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240523112350/https://www.hfm-weimar.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Publikationen/LISZT-Magazin/LISZT-Magazin_Weimarer_Dirigentenschmiede.pdf |url-status=live }} One of his siblings is Micha Afkham, a violist with the Berlin Philharmonic.

File:ZMF Gala 2016 jm12635.jpg

In 2008, Afkham won the first prize of the Donatella Flick Conducting Competition,{{cite web | title=Interview: David Afkham | url=https://lso.co.uk/more/blog/414-interview-david-afkham.html | work=London Symphony Orchestra (blog) | author=Sarah Breeden | date=12 January 2015 | access-date=18 January 2023}} and subsequently became assistant conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra.{{cite news|author=Karen Wada|work=Los Angeles Times|title=Dudamels in the making? L.A. Phil names conducting fellows|url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/culturemonster/2009/04/dudamel-fellowship.html|date=30 April 2009|accessdate=31 March 2010|archive-date=6 January 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100106232100/http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/culturemonster/2009/04/dudamel-fellowship.html|url-status=live}}{{cite web|author=|title=David Afkham gewinnt den Donatella-Flick-Dirigierwettbewerb in London|url=http://www.nmz.de/kiz/nachrichten/david-afkham-gewinnt-den-donatella-flick-dirigierwettbewerb-in-london|work=NMZ|date=9 October 2018|accessdate=31 March 2010|archive-date=12 October 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081012205727/http://www.nmz.de/kiz/nachrichten/david-afkham-gewinnt-den-donatella-flick-dirigierwettbewerb-in-london|url-status=live}} From 2009 to 2012, he was assistant conductor of the Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra.{{cite web | last=Keogh | first=Tom | title=David Afkham, Gautier Capuçon will be part of March 21-23 SSO concerts | website=The Seattle Times | date=15 March 2013 | url=https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/david-afkham-gautier-capuon-will-be-part-of-march-21-23-sso-concerts/ | access-date=21 October 2024 | archive-date=17 December 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241217215848/https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/david-afkham-gautier-capuon-will-be-part-of-march-21-23-sso-concerts/ | url-status=live }}

In 2014, Afkham became principal conductor of the Orquesta Nacional de España (ONE).Rubén Amón: [http://www.elmundo.es/cultura/2015/02/16/54e1a7aee2704e36178b456d.html "David Afkham: 'La cultura es nuestra identidad'"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150724160158/http://www.elmundo.es/cultura/2015/02/16/54e1a7aee2704e36178b456d.html |date=24 July 2015 }}, El Mundo, 16 February 2015 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.{{cite press release | url=https://www.askonasholt.com/david-afkham-appointed-chief-conductor-artistic-director-of-orquestra-y-coro-nacional-de-espana/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200918195042/https://www.askonasholt.com/david-afkham-appointed-chief-conductor-artistic-director-of-orquestra-y-coro-nacional-de-espana/ | url-status=dead | archive-date=18 September 2020 | title=David Afkham appointed Chief Conductor & Artistic Director of Orquestra y Coro Nacional de España | publisher=Askonas Holt | date=13 February 2019 | accessdate=18 January 2023 }} In January 2023, the OCNE announced the extension of Afkham's contract through September 2026.{{cite press release | url=https://ocne.mcu.es/actualidad/david-afkham-seguira-al-frente-de-la-orquesta-y-coro-nacionales-de-espana | title=David Afkham seguirá al frente de la Orquesta y Coro Nacionales de España | publisher=Orquestra y Coro Nacional de España | date=10 January 2023 | accessdate=18 January 2023 | archive-date=18 January 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230118171940/https://ocne.mcu.es/actualidad/david-afkham-seguira-al-frente-de-la-orquesta-y-coro-nacionales-de-espana | url-status=live }} Afkham is scheduled to stand down as chief conductor of the OCNE at the close of the 2025–2026 season.{{cite press release | url=https://www.cultura.gob.es/actualidad/2024/12/241218-nuevo-director-ocne-nagano.html | title=Kent Nagano será el nuevo director titular y artístico de la Orquesta y Coro Nacionales de España | publisher=Ministerio de Cultura del Reino de España | date=18 December 2024 | accessdate=2024-12-26}}

Afkham has commercially recorded for such labels as Berlin Classics.{{cite news | title=Christiane Karg: Parfum review – gorgeous, intoxicating, liquid soprano | url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/may/04/christiane-karg-parfum-review-bamberger-symphoniker-afkham | work=The Guardian | author=Erica Jeal | date=4 May 2017 | access-date=18 January 2023}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{cite web | last=Rundfunk | first=Bayerischer | last2=Leipold | first2=Fridemann | title=David Afkham beim BRSO: Fliegen wie ein Vogelschwarm | website=BR-KLASSIK | date=16 November 2023 | url=https://www.br-klassik.de/aktuell/news-kritik/david-afkham-interview-dirigent-brso-konzert-100.html | language=de | access-date=21 October 2024}}
• [https://krannertcenter.com/sites/krannertcenter.com/files/2019-20_kcpaprogram_chicagosymphonyorchestra_web.pdf Chicago Symphony Orchestra programme, 26 October 2019, Krannert Center, Illinois, USA]
• {{cite | last=Rudiger | first=G. | title="Dirigieren ist vor allem entstehen lassen": Der junge Dirigent David Afkham hat noch eine grosse Karriere vor sich | year=2009 | oclc=333323338}}

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• {{official|https://davidafkham.com}}

{{Spanish National Orchestra principal conductors}}

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Category:German male conductors (music)

Category:Living people

Category:1983 births

Category:Hochschule für Musik Freiburg alumni

Category:Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt, Weimar alumni

Category:21st-century German conductors (music)

Category:21st-century German male musicians

Category:Musicians from Freiburg im Breisgau