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| Radek Baborák | |
|---|---|
| Name | Radek Baborák |
| Caption | Radek Baborák performing |
| Birth date | 1976-06-23 |
| Birth place | Uherské Hradiště, Czechoslovakia |
| Occupation | Horn soloist, conductor, teacher |
| Years active | 1990s–present |
Radek Baborák is a Czech horn player, conductor, and educator noted for his solo, chamber, and orchestral work across Europe and worldwide. He has served as principal horn of leading ensembles, premiered contemporary compositions, and maintained an active recording profile with international labels and festivals. His career bridges classical, contemporary, and pedagogical spheres through performances, collaborations, and institutional commitments.
Baborák was born in Uherské Hradiště and studied in the Czech Republic and Germany, training at institutions associated with the Prague Conservatory, the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, and German conservatoires linked to the Hochschule für Musik und Theater München and the Hanns Eisler Hochschule für Musik Berlin. Early mentors and influences included members of the Czech Philharmonic, the Prague Symphony Orchestra, and faculty from the International Horn Society network. During his formative years he participated in masterclasses and competitions tied to the Carl Nielsen International Music Competition, the ARD International Music Competition, and festivals such as the Salzburg Festival and the Prague Spring International Music Festival.
He held principal positions with the Munich Philharmonic and later the Hamburg Symphony Orchestra before accepting the principal horn chair at the Berlin Philharmonic, where collaborations placed him alongside conductors like Herbert von Karajan-era alumni, Sir Simon Rattle, Daniel Barenboim, Sir John Eliot Gardiner, Zubin Mehta, and Riccardo Muti. As a soloist he appeared with ensembles such as the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the London Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestre de Paris, the Vienna Symphony, and the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. He has been a guest at venues including Berlin Philharmonie, Royal Albert Hall, Concertgebouw, Wiener Musikverein, and festivals like Lucerne Festival, Aix-en-Provence Festival, and Tanglewood Music Festival.
Baborák's repertoire spans Classical and Romantic concertos—works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Richard Strauss, Franz Joseph Haydn, and Ludwig van Beethoven—as well as 20th-century and contemporary pieces by composers such as Benjamin Britten, Paul Hindemith, Elliott Carter, György Ligeti, Petr Eben, and Krzysztof Penderecki. His discography includes recordings for labels associated with the Deutsche Grammophon, Sony Classical, and Harmonia Mundi networks, featuring chamber projects with artists from the Berlin Philharmonic, the Prague Quartet, and solo recordings that pair horn repertoire with works by Johannes Brahms, Antonín Dvořák, Sergei Prokofiev, and Igor Stravinsky. He has premiered commissions at venues tied to the BBC Proms, the Grazer Musikverein, and the Karol Szymanowski Philharmonic.
Throughout his career he has received prizes from competitions and cultural institutions including awards linked to the Prague Spring International Music Competition, the ARD International Music Competition, and honors bestowed by the Czech Ministry of Culture and municipal bodies in Prague and Brno. He has been recognized with fellowships and grants associated with the European Union cultural programs and invited to juries of competitions connected to the International Horn Society and the Markneukirchen Competition.
Baborák has held professorships and visiting chairs at conservatoires such as the Hochschule für Musik Nürnberg, the Prague Conservatory, and the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, and taught masterclasses at institutions including the Royal College of Music, the Juilliard School, the Royal Academy of Music, and regional academies in Seville, Warsaw, and Istanbul. He has led workshops at academies linked to the Verbier Festival, the Salzburg Festival, and the Aix-en-Provence Festival, and served as a jury member for competitions organized by the International Horn Society and the ARD International Music Competition.
Outside performance he has engaged with cultural organizations in the Czech Republic, supported youth music initiatives connected to the European Union cultural networks, and participated in benefit concerts for causes linked to institutions like the Red Cross and foundations associated with the UNICEF and regional arts charities in Central Europe. He maintains residences in Prague and Berlin, collaborates with colleagues from ensembles such as the Berlin Philharmonic and the Czech Philharmonic, and continues to balance solo work with chamber projects and orchestral collaborations.
Category:Czech classical horn players Category:1976 births Category:Living people