Conductor Vladimír Válek has Died, Aged 89

Válek was the former longtime chief conductor of the Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra 

Born in 1935 in Nový Jičín in the Czech Republic, Vladimír Válek studied trombone, viola, piano, and conducting. As a student of Prague’s Academy of Performing Arts, he attended the class of Alois Klíma, who was then the principal conductor of the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra (PRSO). 

Válek himself led the PRSO himself for a record 26 years as chief conductor from 1985 to 2011 to great acclaim. 

Throughout his career, he also conducted the Czech Philharmonic (where he was appointed principal conductor) and the Osaka Symphony Orchestra among other ensembles.

Prior to this, he gained experience working with the Vít Nejedlý Army Artistic Ensemble, ČKD Prague Ensemble, and North Bohemian Philharmonic. 

He also led the Prague Symphony Orchestra, which he conducted for the first time when stepping in for the guest conductor who had taken ill. Then 33 years old, Válek’s successful performance saw him lead the orchestra on a U.S. tour, where critics named him “Prague’s Leonard Bernstein.” 

In 1975, the Prague Symphony Orchestra offered him a permanent engagement; from 1976, he was made a permanent guest conductor in Leeuwarden in the Netherlands. 

Válek also found great success as a teacher, plus was the founder of the Dvořák Chamber Orchestra. 

Among his achievements included the Medal of Merit from President Václav Klaus in 2010 and the Classic Prague Awards for Lifetime Achievement in 2021. 

“The conductor must come so prepared that he is the best of the entire ensemble,” Válek told Czech Radio Vltava in 2023. “The musicians don't have to know that much at the first rehearsal, they will learn it in three or four rehearsals. But the conductor? No way. They will know right away if I don’t know how.”

“It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Vladimír Válek, a prominent figure on the Czech music scene and long-time chief conductor of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra,” Czech Radio added. “He led our orchestra from 1985 to 2011 and had a fundamental influence on its artistic development. He conducted our last concert with us in 2017. Honor to his memory.”

Our condolences to Mr. Válek’s family, friends, students, and colleagues.