Zdeněk Mácal, conductor

Zdeněk MácalFoto: Materiály SOČR

In the course of his artistic career, he has conducted up to 170 orchestras of four continents, including the most prominent ones (Boston, New York, London, Berlin, Vienna). He appeared at major European and American music festivals (Luzern, Edinburgh, Vienna, Montreux, Prague, Athens, Besançon, Ravinia, Tanglewood, Wolf Trap, Hollywood Bowl) and cooperated with leading opera houses (La Scala in Milan). His recordings can be found under a number of labels, including Delos, Koss, Sony, EMI, Decca, Deutsche Grammophon, Supraphon or Octavia Records. In 2004, he was awarded the Presidential Merit of the Nation Medal in the Field of Music.

Zdeněk Mácal, born in 1936 in Brno, graduated in his home town from Janáček Academy of Performing Arts. His first world context accomplishment can be attributed to year 1965 when he won the First Prize at Besançon Conducting Contest. A year later, he strongly impressed Leonard Bernstein, chairman of the Jury of Dmitri Mitropoulos Contest in New York, where he also won the first prize. 

At the outset of his career, Zdeněk Mácal collaborated exclusively with Czech orchestras. After the Soviet occupation of Czechoslovakia, he, however, decided to emigrate. First, he conducted Cologne Radio Symphony and Hannover Radio Symphony. For some time, he was chief conductor of Sydney Symphony. Then he moved to North America to take up the post of Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra Arts Director. In the capacity of chief-conductor, he also collaborated with Grant Park Music Festival in Chicago and with New Jersey Symphony Orchestra; the latter body achieved, during his involvement (1993-2002), its artistic summit. Between 2003 and 2008, he was at the head of Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, which he defines as his life-long affection. 

In addition, he was visiting conductor with a number of American orchestras (for instance, New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, Washington National Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic or Boston Symphony Orchestra). The same range of his conducting activity can be observed in Europe (for instance, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestre de Paris, Orchestre National de France, Vienna Symphony, Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra); in England, he conducted several times all major London orchestras. Last but not least, he also gave concerts to audiences in Japan. 

In 2008 Zdeněk Mácal took up a position of Besançon International Festival Arts Director and became President of Young Conductors Contest Jury.