Radek Baborák

Baborák emerged from the distinguished Czech horn tradition, studying first with Karel Krenek and later with Bedřich Tylšar. The Czech school’s emphasis on a noble core to the sound, secure legato and clear articulation is evident throughout his playing, but his technique soon developed far beyond orchestral convention.

Competition success accelerated his career. Victories and prizes in Prague, Geneva, Markneukirchen and Munich established him as one of the leading young horn players of the 1990s. At only eighteen he joined the Czech Philharmonic as principal horn, an extraordinary appointment that immediately placed him within one of Europe’s historic orchestral traditions.

His subsequent posts in Munich, Bamberg and Berlin exposed him to contrasting orchestral aesthetics and conductors. The Berlin Philharmonic years, from 2002 to 2011, were especially important: his playing became familiar internationally through concerts, broadcasts and recordings under Simon Rattle, Daniel Barenboim and other leading conductors.

Baborák has simultaneously pursued a solo repertory ranging from Mozart and Strauss to Britten, Glière, Hindemith and contemporary works. He has also arranged Bach and other music for horn, expanding the instrument’s possibilities beyond its standard repertory. Chamber music with artists such as Martha Argerich, Emmanuel Pahud and Daniel Barenboim has been another central strand.

From 2008–2011 onward, conducting became an increasingly important part of his work. Mentored in part by Seiji Ozawa and Daniel Barenboim, he founded ensembles including the Czech Sinfonietta and later became artistic director of the Prague Chamber Soloists. His conducting repertoire extends across Classical, Romantic and twentieth-century music.

Baborák’s significance lies in the breadth of this musical identity. He belongs to the rare group of horn players who have combined elite orchestral leadership, solo virtuosity, chamber-music distinction, pedagogy and a serious conducting career.