Semyon Bychkov conducts through pain in celebrating Year of Czech Music with North American tour

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Eva Krestová remembered Semyon Bychkov’s first rehearsal as chief conductor of the Czech Philharmonic, leading Shostakovich’s “Leningrad” symphony. He told me very nice words after — he told me that this is exactly what my viola section needs.” Celebrating the end of the 100th anniversary Year of Czech Music, an event held every decade in the year ending in 4, Bychkov is conducting through pain in leading the Czech Philharmonic on a North American tour to New York and Toronto. A few years of that and you’re ready for anything.‘” Bychkov succeeded Rudel as music director of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra from 1985-89. “He said, `You bring the best in us and we’d like you to be our next music director and we want you to be our daddy.’ I had absolutely no thoughts of accepting any permanent position since I left Cologne in 2013 but when he said, ‘We want you to be our daddy,’ how can you say no to 124 orphans?” A chain-smoker off stage, Bychkov is elegant on the podium with balletic side-to-side arm sweeps, wearing loose black clothes resembling pajamas, his bushy gray hair accentuated by the lights.