Biography
Jaroslav Brych (1964) was the chief conductor of the Prague Philharmonic Choir between 1996 and 2004. His journey to this prestigious post began in the city of Pardubice, where, in addition to studying french horn at the local Academy of music, he devoted himself to conducting a children choir. He continued his musical studies at the Prague Academy of Performing Arts concentrating on orchestral conducting; he was a student of Václav Neumann as well as Josef Veselka, his famous predecessor at the head of the Prague Philharmonic Choir. Jaroslav Brych also attended many of the master courses led by Helmuth Rilling in Stuttgart. In the years 1990-94 Jaroslav Brych served as the conductor-chief of the Symphony Orchestra of the Czech Republic Army and led the Army Choir. He collaborated with other national orchestras, such as the Prague Symphony Orchestra (graduation concert), the Janáček Philharmonic Ostrava and the Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra, as well as with the ambitious young team of the Chamber Opera Mozart. From 1984 until 1997 Jaroslav Brych was the music director of the University Ensemble of Charles University. During his tenure he made two recordings of à cappella music by contemporary Czech composers with the Charles University Chorale. He has made several significant recordings with the Prague Philharmonic Choir, namely à cappella vocal compositions of L. Spohr, F. Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, A. Schnittke and S. Rachmaninoff, and also the cantatas of B. Martinů.Update: 2004