Josep Pons - NOSPR

Regarded as the leading Spanish conductor of his generation, Josep Pons has built strong relationships with the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Orchestre de Paris,NHK Symphony Orchestra, Tokyo, Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen and BBC Symphony Orchestra – the latter including several appearances at the BBC Proms. 
The 2021/22 season will see Pons return to the BBC Symphony Orchestra, Orquesta Nacional de España and Orchestra national de Bordeaux. He also performs for the first time with the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra.
At the end of the 2020/21 season, Pons renewed his contract as Music Director of Gran Teatre del Liceu until 2025/26. His tenure began in 2012 and he conducts a number of productions in Barcelona each season, most recently Don Giovanni, Lessons of Love and Violence, Káťa Kabanová, Rodelinda, Roméo et Juliette, and Elektra, and the world premiere of Casablancas’ new opera L’enigma di Lea. This season he will give opera performances of Ariadne auf Naxos, War Requiem, Oedipus Rex, Pelleas et Melisande, Wozzeck, and a concert performance of Bluebeard’s Castle at the Opéra Bastille. He also holds the position of Honorary Conductor of the Orquesta Nacional de España having previously served as their Artistic Director for nine years during which he substantially raised their international profile. He is also Honorary Conductor of the Orquesta Ciudad de Granada.
Josep Pons' discography of over 50 CDs and DVDs mostly released by Harmonia Mundi and Deutsche Grammophon, includes recordings of Falla, and French repertoire regarded as benchmark interpretations and earning numerous awards. His recording of Noches en los jardines de España with Javier Perianes won a Choc du Monde de la Musique, Melancolía with Patricia Petibon received a Gramophone Editor's Choice, and his collaboration with Tomatito earned him a Latin Grammy Award. His recording of Berio’s Sinfonia and Mahler/Berio’s 10 Frühe Lieder with BBC Symphony Orchestra and Matthias Goerne, won the BBC Music Award, Choc du Monde de la Musique, Echo Klassik Award and ffff de Télérama. His latest release on Harmonia Mundi is the live recording of Granados’ opera, Goyescas with the BBC Symphony Orchestra.
Josep Pons began his musical training at the prestigious Escolanía de Montserrat. The secular tradition and intense study of both Polyphony and contemporary music in this centre marked his later development both musically and intellectually. In 1999 he received the Spanish National Music Prize for his outstanding work on twentieth century music. In 2019, Pons was awarded Honorary Doctorate from Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.