Tomáš NetopilArtistic Director of the Academy
This native of Kroměříž has attracted the attention of the music world as one of the most interesting conductors of the day. Currently, he works as the Music Director with Aalto Theatre and the Essen Philharmonic. Before that, he was the Lead Conductor of the Czech National Theatre Opera. In the autumn of 2017, he was appointed Head Guest Conductor for the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra.
This place is absolutely unique and very inspiring. Students will become part of the music community which will enable their further artistic growth.
Tomáš Netopil studied violin at the State School of Performing Arts and the P. J. Vejvanovský Conservatoire in Kroměříž. Then he devoted himself to choirmaster studies and conducting at Prague’s AMU, where his mentors included Jiří Bělohlávek.
He entered the ranks of the world elite after a string of victories in prestigious competitions including the main prize from the American conductors’ Aspen Academy. To date, he has performed at many of the world’s leading opera houses and with the world’s leading orchestras (the Berlin Philharmonic, Stuttgart State Opera Orchestra, Vienna Symphonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic, Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich, La Scala Philharmonic Orchestra in Milan, Sydney Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, NHK Philharmonic Orchestra, etc.)
It has been a long-term dream of his to build up courses in Kroměříž and to bring together the world’s leading musicians and most gifted students in the one place that exudes such extraordinary musical inspiration. The Academy of Music is now also a festival of classical music – Music Kromeriz.
