We are saddened to report the passing of Maestro Jiří Bělohlávek. Highly regarded in Europe and the world, the Czech master conductor and outstanding teacher collaborated with orchestras such as the Berlin Philharmonic, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, New York Philharmonic, Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden and the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. He was the first conductor since Herbert von Karajan to receive the Gramophone Award for Orchestral Recording two years running. In 2012, Queen Elizabeth II awarded him the honour of Commander of the British Empire for services to music.
In 2015 he appeared at the 19th Ludwig van Beethoven Easter Festival, where he conducted the Czech Philharmonic, which has earned a reputation as one of the world’s most interesting orchestras.
In 1997 Bělohlávek was appointed professor at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague and was director of the Department of Conducting there until 2009. His students include Jakub Hrůša and Tomáš Netopil.
The Ludwig van Beethoven Association bids farewell to the great conductor, teacher and friend.