Role

:

Conductor Performer

Country

:

Spain

Birth

:

1957 in Puig-Reig

Genre

:

Concerto

 

 

Orchestral

 

Josep Pons is a renowned Spanish conductor and pianist, known for his exceptional interpretations of classical music. He was born on October 1, 1957, in Puig-reig, a small town in Catalonia, Spain. Pons grew up in a family of musicians, and his father was a choir conductor. He began his musical education at a young age, studying piano and music theory at the Conservatori Superior de Música del Liceu in Barcelona. Pons continued his studies at the Mozarteum University of Salzburg in Austria, where he studied conducting with Herbert von Karajan and piano with Karl-Heinz Kämmerling. He also attended masterclasses with renowned conductors such as Leonard Bernstein and Claudio Abbado. In 1985, Pons made his debut as a conductor with the Orquestra Ciutat de Barcelona, and he quickly gained recognition for his exceptional talent. He was appointed the principal conductor of the orchestra in 1989, a position he held until 2003. During his tenure, he led the orchestra in numerous performances and recordings, including works by Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, and Mahler. In 1997, Pons was appointed the principal conductor of the Orquestra Simfònica de Barcelona i Nacional de Catalunya (OBC), one of the most prestigious orchestras in Spain. He held this position until 2011, and during his tenure, he led the orchestra in numerous performances and recordings, including works by Stravinsky, Ravel, Debussy, and Bartók. Pons has also conducted many other orchestras around the world, including the Berlin Philharmonic, the Vienna Philharmonic, the London Symphony Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic, and the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra. He has collaborated with many renowned soloists, including Yo-Yo Ma, Anne-Sophie Mutter, and Lang Lang. In addition to his work as a conductor, Pons is also an accomplished pianist. He has performed as a soloist and chamber musician in many prestigious venues around the world, including the Carnegie Hall in New York, the Royal Albert Hall in London, and the Musikverein in Vienna. Pons has received numerous awards and honors throughout his career. In 1999, he was awarded the National Music Prize by the Spanish Ministry of Culture, and in 2003, he was awarded the Gold Medal for Fine Arts by the Spanish government. He has also been awarded the Creu de Sant Jordi, the highest honor awarded by the Catalan government, and the Premi Nacional de Música, the highest honor awarded by the Spanish government for music. One of the highlights of Pons' career was his performance of Mahler's Symphony No. 8 with the Berlin Philharmonic in 2000. The performance was recorded and released on DVD, and it received critical acclaim for its exceptional interpretation and execution. Another notable performance was Pons' interpretation of Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring with the OBC in 2006. The performance was praised for its energy and intensity, and it was recorded and released on CD. Pons is also known for his commitment to contemporary music. He has premiered many works by contemporary composers, including Xavier Montsalvatge, Joan Guinjoan, and Cristóbal Halffter. He has also collaborated with many contemporary artists, including the Catalan painter Antoni Tàpies and the Spanish filmmaker Carlos Saura. In recent years, Pons has focused on his work as the artistic director of the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona, one of the most prestigious opera houses in the world.

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