Josep Pons
© Igor Cortadellas
Biographie
Regarded as the leading Spanish conductor of his generation, Josep Pons has built strong relationships with the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Orchestre de Paris, Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, The Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen and BBC Symphony Orchestra - the latter including several appearances at the BBC Proms.
In addition to continuing these relationships, the 2017/18 season will see Pons return to BBC Symphony Orchestra, Deutsche Radio Philharmonie Saarbrücken Kaiserslautern, Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse and Sinfónica de Galicia. He will also have new collaborations with Tokyo Symphony Orchestra and Suzhou Symphony Orchestra as well as Festival Casals and Klavier-Festival Ruhr.
As Music Director of Gran Teatre del Liceu he conducts a number of productions in Barcelona each season, most recently Don Giovanni, Le Nozze di Figaro, and Elektra. This season he will give opera performances of Roméo et Juliette and Tristan und Isolde as well as a number of symphony concerts. He also holds the position of Honorary Conductor of the Orquesta Nacional de España having previously served as their Artistic Director for nine years during which he substantially raised their international profile. He was also appointed Honorary Conductor of the Orquesta Ciudad de Granada last season.
Josep Pons' discography of over 50 CDs and DVDs mostly released by harmonia mundi and Deutsche Grammophone, includes recordings of Falla and French repertoire regarded as benchmark interpretations and earning numerous awards. His recording of Noches en los jardines de España with Javier Perianes won a Choc de la Musique, Melancolía with Patricia Petibon received a Gramophone Editor's Choice, and his collaboration with Tomatito earned him a Latin Grammy. His last recording of Berio’s Sinfonia and Mahler/Berio’s 10 Frühe Lieder with BBC Symphony Orchestra and Matthias Goerne, won the BBC Music Award, Choc de la musique and Télérama Ffff awards and was among the 10 Best CD’s of the year of Presto Classical.