Tatsuya Shimono

Conductor
Permanent Conductor of NHK Symphony Orchestra since October 2023, Principal Guest Conductor of Sapporo Symphony Orchestra and Conductor Laureate of Hiroshima Symphony Orchestra since April 2024.
Born in Kagoshima in 1969, Tatsuya Shimono cemented his international reputation as a conductor by winning the First Prize and the Hideo Saito Award at Tokyo International Music Competition for conducting in 2000 and the First Prize at the 47th Besançon International Competition in 2001. Since then he has guest conducted major orchestras such as Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Czech Philharmonic, Barcelona Symphony Orchestra(OBC), Sinfonia Varsovia, Tokyo Symphony Orchestra and NHK Symphony Orchestra among others. Shimono served as Resident Conductor and then Principal Guest Conductor of Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra (2006-2017) , guest conductor and then Principal Guest Conductor of Kyoto Symphony Orchestra (2014-2020), general music director of Hiroshima Symphony Orchestra (2017-2024)
He is also holding the title of Music Director of Hiroshima Wind Orchestra since 2011.
In addition to his activity with orchestra he also regularly conducts Opera at New National Theatre Tokyo, Nissay Theatre and Nikikai Opera among others.

Radek Baborák

Conductor
Radek Baborák, chief conductor of the West Bohemian Symphony Orchestra, is one of the most prominent personalities on the world music scene. In more than 35 years of international appearances as a solo horn player and conductor, he has earned an exceptional reputation with the most important orchestras and festivals. With his extensive experience as a horn player, Baborák brings a unique perspective and expertise to his conducting career. His conducting style is known for its precision, musicality and deep understanding of the pieces he plays. He is able to interpret and convey the emotions and nuances of the music, creating captivating and memorable concert experiences that are appreciated by critics and music-loving audiences. His repertoire ranges from the works of the Baroque, Classical, Romantic and 20th century masters to the works of living composers whose works he has premiered.
As a soloist, he has performed with the Berlin and Vienna Philharmonic Orchestras and many other top orchestras under conductors such as James Levine, Sir Simon Rattle, Sir John Eliot Gardiner, Sir Roger Norrington, Jiří Bělohlávek, Seiji Ozawa, Daniel Barenboim and Vladimir Ashkenazy.
In 2011, he expanded his musical career to include conducting. His mentor is maestro Seiji Ozawa, whom he assists with the Mito Chamber Orchestra, which he conducts regularly. He founded and conducts the Czech Sinfonietta Orchestra, which performs at renowned festivals in the Czech Republic such as Prague Spring, Dvořák's Prague, Smetana's Litomyšl and others. He has achieved extraordinary success at these festivals, accompanying soloists such as Marta Argerich, Yefim Bronfmann, Sergei Nakarjakov, Ricardo Galliano and Guy Braunstein.
As a conductor he has worked with the Mozarteum Salzburg, the Berlin Symphony Orchestra, the Thuringia Philharmonic, the Tokyo Philharmonic, the New Japan Symphony Orchestra, the Sapporo Symphony Orchestra, the Sochr, Fok St. Prague Philharmonic, Prague Philharmonic and others.
He has been the artistic director of the Prague Chamber Soloists since 2016.
He is intensively involved in chamber music, especially with the Baborak Ensemble, which is regularly invited to the Mozartwoche Salzburg, the Pierre Boulez Saal in Berlin and on tours in Europe and Japan. For his ensemble, he creates unique versions of works by composers such as J. S. Bach and Astor Piazzolla.
His musical partners at over a hundred music festivals in which he has participated include legends such as Daniel Barenboim, Marta Argerich, Heinrich Schif, Janine Jansen, Francoise Leleux, Emanuel Pahud, Ian Bostridge, Julian Rachlin and others.
He has performed as a solo horn player with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.
He has won the most prestigious competitions in Geneva, Markneukirchen and ARD Munich.
He has made dozens of award-winning recordings for EMI, Sony Classic, Suprafon, Octavia Records, Animal Music and Hänsler Classic.
Radek Baborák is Music Partner of the Yamagata Symphony Orchestra, permanent soloist of the Brandenburg State Orchestra and he has made his conducting debut with the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra Bratislava, the Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra in London in 2024/25 season.