Afkham was a model of physical grace and musical purpose on the podium. His left hand traced broad arcs of sound while his right hand articulated beats and phrases with the utmost clarity and precision. Every interpretative choice was well motivated and grounded in an ability to maintain orchestral control that was exacting, yet never rigid. Always in evidence was a keen sense of what each score was about, structurally and expressively. And the orchestra came through marvellously for him.
Chicago Tribune
Biography
Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Spanish National Orchestra and Chorus.
Known for his impeccable technique and compelling artistry, David Afkham has received worldwide acclaim and is one of the most sought-after conductors of his generation. Afkham is the Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Orquesta y Coro Nacionales de España, a position he has held since September 2019. Prior to this role, Afkham enjoyed a highly successful tenure as the orchestra’s Principal Conductor since 2014.
Afkham’s impressive career has been marked by a series of critically acclaimed performances and collaborations with some of the world’s leading orchestras. He has appeared with the Concertgebouworkest, London Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Münchner Philharmoniker, Staatskapelle Berlin, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, hr-Sinfonieorchester Frankfurt, SWR Symphonieorchester, Wiener Symphoniker, Orchestre National de France, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, Swedish Radio Symphony, Oslo Philharmonic, Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, as well as with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Staatskapelle Dresden, Die Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, and Mahler Chamber Orchestra.