Born in the Czech Republic in 1981, Jakub Hrůša holds the post of Music Director and Chief Conductor of the Prague Philharmonia from September 2009, having served as the orchestra’s Principal Conductor from 2005 – 2008. Previously he was Music Director of the Bohuslav Martinu Philharmonic (2005 – 2008), Associate Conductor of the Czech Philharmonic (2002 – 2003), and Young Associate Conductor with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France (2005 – 2006). In 2006 he signed an exclusive recording contract with Supraphon, and has so far released four CDs – three with the Prague Philharmonia – to critical acclaim.
During recent seasons Jakub Hrůša has made debuts with many of the leading orchestras in Europe, including the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, SWR Stuttgart, Deutsches Symphonie Orchester Berlin, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Strasbourg Philharmonic, and the Verdi Orchestra Milan. He is also a regular visitor to Asia and has appeared with the Hong Kong Philharmonic, New Japan Philharmonic, and the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra. 2008/9 saw his American debut with the Milwaukee and Indianapolis Symphonies and his Australian debut with the Western Australia Symphony Orchestra.
Jakub Hrůša studied conducting at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague where his teachers included Jiří Bĕlohlávek. Since his graduation in 2004, he has built a strong reputation in his home country, conducting all the major Czech orchestras and appearing regularly at the Prague National Theatre. He is currently continuing his studies with a dissertation on the work of contemporary Czech composers.
In the field of opera, Hrůša conducted Carmen for Glyndebourne Festival and Glyndebourne on Tour in 2008, a new production of Rusalka for Prague National Theatre in 2009, and Werther for Opera Hong Kong in 2008. He was recently appointed Music Director of Glyndebourne on Tour from 2010.
Highlights in 2009/10 include subscription concerts and a UK tour with the Czech Philharmonic; debuts with Frankfurt Radio Symphony, WDR Cologne, Washington National Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Finnish Radio Symphony, Rotterdam Philharmonic, Sao Paolo Symphony, Seoul Philharmonic and Osaka Philharmonic; return visits to SWR Stuttgart, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Strasbourg Philharmonic and New Japan Philharmonic; and performances of Don Giovanni with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment at Glyndebourne Festival. In addition he continues a busy schedule of subscription concerts, tours and recordings with the Prague Philharmonia.
He is currently represented by the prominent British agency IMG Artists.
