Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra Appoints New Chief Conductor And Artistic Director Elias Grandy
On Wednesday, 24 September 2025, the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra held a press conference to officially present its future Chief Conductor and Artistic Director, the German-Japanese Elias Grandy.
Beginning with the 2026/2027 season, Grandy will succeed Petr Popelka.
Grandy first collaborated with the orchestra in March 2025 during a subscription concert at the Rudolfinum. From the very first rehearsals, there was exceptional chemistry between him and the musicians - the orchestra responded to his leadership with enthusiasm and unity, convincing both sides of the meaningfulness of further cooperation.
Elias Grandy is considered one of the most remarkable figures of his generation. He has been consistently praised for his effortless style, imbuing orchestras with a sense of calm while translating even the most complex musical ideas into inspiring, convincing, and striking performances. Currently in his first season as Chief Conductor of Sapporo Symphony, Grandy also regularly collaborates with orchestras and opera houses.
“During our first concert together, I felt that I could open myself completely to the orchestra – and that the music immediately flowed both ways. It is a rare feeling, one that cannot be planned. That makes me all the more excited about our future projects and all that we will discover together,” said Elias Grandy about the upcoming collaboration.
Grandy’s tenure will be marked by a spirit of openness and artistic curiosity. His aim is to bring the orchestra’s distinctive voice to an even wider public through creative programming that reflects both the richness of the Czech tradition and its dialogue with the wider European heritage, as well as through recordings and international touring. His approach to sound combines German heritage with the warmth and lyrical intensity that has long been a hallmark of Czech orchestral playing.
Born and raised in Germany, Grandy studied cello and conducting in Munich, Basel, and Berlin. Before stepping on the conductor’s podium, he performed as a cellist with ensembles such as the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Komische Oper Berlin. Spending his formative years in leading German opera houses, he began his conducting career at the State Theatre in Darmstadt and soon after won the Sir Georg Solti International Conducting Competition. From 2015 to 2023, he served as Music Director of Heidelberg Theatre and Orchestra.
