Conductor Jiří Stárek has died
Czech conductor and teacher Jiří Stárek has passed away at the age of eighty-eight. A pupil of Karel Ančerl and Václav Talich, he worked at the Prague Singspiel company from 1947 and was then with the Czech Railwaymen’s Symphony Orchestra (from 1949), in the years 1953-68 he conducted the Radio Symphony Orchestra in Prague (from 1964 as Chief Conductor) and he also worked with the chamber ensemble Collegium Musicum Pragense.
He emigrated in 1968 and began expanding his international career. He collaborated with various German and British orchestras, and worked in the USA and Norway. He was dean of the University of Music and Performing Arts in Frankfurt for eleven years.
He began working in the Czech Republic once again after the fall of Communism. From 1996 to 1997 he was Chief Conductor of the Prague State Opera, and from 2003 Chief Conductor of the Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra. He continued working with this orchestra as honorary chief conductor until his death.
He was recognised for his work in 1997 with the presentation of the Czech Music Council award for the year 1996. In April 2008 the then Minister of Culture Václav Jehlička bestowed the Artis Bohemiae Amicis medal upon Jiří Stárek for promoting the good name of Czech culture.
Jiří Stárek was to have conducted the Radio Symphony Orchestra in its current 85th season during a Christmas concert featuring the works of members of the Stamitz family, Blodek and J. S. Bach.
