Semyon Bychkov (conductor)

Biography

Childhood and studies in Russia

Bychkov was born in Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg) to Jewish parents. His younger brother was Yakov Kreizberg, also a conductor. Bychkov studied at the Glinka Choir School for ten years before moving to the Leningrad Conservatory, where he was a student of Ilya Musin. At the Conservatory, Bychkov played volleyball for the Leningrad Dynamos. In 1973 he won the Rachmaninov Conducting Competition, but was denied the usual prize of conducting the Leningrad Philharmonic by the authorities after he applied for an exit visa. His family had suffered from official antisemitism, and after expressing views critical of the Soviet regime, in 1974 he decided to leave the country, going first to Vienna with only $100.

Studies and career in the United States

In 1975, at age 22, he left Vienna and emigrated to the United States. Bychkov graduated from the Mannes School of Music, then became the director of the Mannes College Orchestra. From 1980 to 1985, he served as music director of the Grand Rapids Symphony in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and through his Mannes connection with fellow alumnus Julius Rudel became principal guest conductor of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. Again through his connection with Rudel, Bychkov made his debut conducting Carmen at the New York City Opera on September 30, 1981 (the six performances were his only appearances with that company). On 4 July 1983, he became a U.S. citizen. In 1985, he became music director of the Buffalo Philharmonic, and he held that post until 1989. During his time in Grand Rapids and Buffalo, Bychkov came to international attention following a series of high-profile cancellations in 1984 and 1985 that resulted in invitations to conduct the New York Philharmonic, the Berlin Philharmonic, and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. He was subsequently signed to a 10-year recording contract with Philips Classics Records, and made his debut recording conducting the Berlin Philharmonic in Shostakovich's Symphony No. 5.

Career in Europe

From 1989 to 1998, Bychkov was music director of the Orchestre de Paris. He became Principal Guest Conductor of the Saint Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra in 1990, principal guest conductor of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino in 1992, chief conductor of Dresden's Semperoper in 1998 and chief conductor of the WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne in 1997. He remained in Cologne until 2010, making a series of recordings including Brahms's Symphonies No. 1–4, Shostakovich's Symphonies Nos. 4, 7, 8, 10, and 11, Mahler's Symphony No. 3, Rachmaninov's The Bells and Symphonic Dances, Richard Strauss's Ein Heldenleben and Eine Alpensinfonie, Verdi's Requiem, as well as Strauss's Elektra and Daphne and Wagner's Lohengrin, which won BBC Music Magazine's Record of the Year for 2010.

Bychkov made his debut at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden in 2003 with a new production of Elektra, and returned later that year to conduct Boris Godunov. In 2012, he assumed the newly created Günter Wand Conducting Chair with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, a post specially created for him. He holds the Otto Klemperer Chair of Conducting at the Royal Academy of Music in London.

In 2013, Bychkov first guest-conducted the Czech Philharmonic. In 2017, the Czech Philharmonic announced its appointment of Bychkov as its next chief conductor and music director, effective with the 2018–2019 season. In 2022, the Czech Philharmonic extended Bychkov's contract through 2028. In 2024, the Czech Philharmonic announced that Bychkov will stand down as its chief conductor and music director after the 2027–2028 season.

Bychkov was named 'Conductor of the Year' by the International Opera Awards in 2015. He became an Honorary Member of the Royal Academy of Music (Hon RAM) in 2015 and in 2022 received from the same institution an Honorary Doctorate of the University of London (Hon DMus).

In December 2025, Bychkov was the conductor at the Nobel Prize Concert 2025. In January 2026, the Paris Opera announced the appointment of Bychkov as its next music director, effective 1 August 2028, with an initial contract of four years. He is scheduled to take the title of music director-designate of the Opéra national de Paris on 1 August 2026.

Personal life

Bychkov has been married twice. His first marriage was to Tatiana Rozina, and the couple had two children. Their marriage ended in divorce. Bychkov's second marriage is to the pianist Marielle Labèque. The couple reside on the Côte Basque in French Basque country.

Selected discography

References

References

1. Duchen, Jessica. (25 March 2010). "Interview: Semyon Bychkov". Jewish Chronicle.
2. (22 November 2012). "Semyon Bychkov: beating time". The Guardian.
3. [https://www.nytimes.com/1981/10/02/arts/city-opera-patricia-miller-as-carmen.html Donal Henahan, "City Opera: Patricia Miller as Carmen," ''New York Times'' (Oct. 2, 1981).]
4. Anne Midgette. (22 January 2004). "For a Russian Masterpiece, A Russian-Born Maestro". New York Times.
5. (1984-02-29). "Kubelik Out Of Concerts". New York Times.
6. James Barron. (1986-02-23). "The Music World Is Watching Him". New York Times.
7. [http://www.ram.ac.uk/find-people?pid=1406 Royal Academy of Music website: Klemperer Chair of Conducting Studies]
8. [http://www.gramophone.net/Issue/Page/March%201987/58/815774/SHOSTAKOVICH.+Symphony+No.+5.+Berlin+Phil+harmonic+Orchestra++Semyon+Bychkov.+Philips+digital+C)+420+0691+PH+CI+420+0694PH+CD+420+0692PH+(to+be+reviewed+later) Shostakovich Symphony No. 5, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Semyon Bychkov, Philips, Gramophone Magazine Online, March 1987]{{dead link. (March 2018)
9. Terry Grimley. (1 January 2009). "Semyon Bychkov: Eclectic Dreams". Birmingham Post.
10. Martin Cullingford. (2017-10-16). "Semyon Bychkov to take top job at Czech Philharmonic". Gramophone.
11. (28 September 2022). "Šéfdirigent Semjon Byčkov prodlužuje smlouvu s Českou filharmonií". Czech Philharmonic.
12. (18 April 2024). "Semjon Byčkov po roce 2028 nebude pokračovat na postu šéfdirigenta České filharmonie". Czech Philharmonic.
13. (14 February 2011). "News - New Staff Members". Royal Academy of Music.
14. "Honours".
15. "Royal Academy of Music Graduation Ceremony 2022".
16. (6 January 2026). "Appointment of Semyon Bychkov as Music Director of the Opéra national de Paris". Opéra national de Paris.
17. Roslyn Sulcas. (2026-01-20). "This Charming Raconteur Is Paris Opera's Next Music Director". The New York Times.
18. Fox, Sue. (2016-08-28). "Relative Values: Semyon Bychkov, conductor, and his wife, Marielle Labèque, pianist". [[The Times]].
19. [http://www.classical-music.com/review/strauss-162 BBC Music Magazine - Review: Elektra]
20. [http://www.classical-music.com/review/verdi-168 BBC Music Magazine online - Review: Verdi, Requiem]
21. BBC Music Magazine online - Review: Strauss - Eine Alpensinfonie & Till Eulenspiegels [http://www.classical-music.com/review/strauss-eine-alpensinfonie-till-eulenspiegels]