David Afkham is a German

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

 conductor

Conducting

Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...

.

Biography

Afkham was born in Freiburg im Breisgau (Germany) in 1983 and started his music education at age 15 at the Hochschule für Musik Freiburg

Hochschule für Musik Freiburg

The Staatliche Hochschule für Musik Freiburg is a public music academy subsidized by the State of Baden-Württemberg for academic research and artistic and pedagogical training in music.-History:The Hochschule was initially founded as a municipal institution in 1946 under the direction of Gustav...

, where he studied piano with James Avery and in 2002 he won the Jugend Musiziert competition. In 2007 he finished his conducting studies with Nicolás Pasquet

Nicolás Pasquet

Nicolás Pasquet is a conductor from Uruguay and professor of conducting.-Biography:Born in 1958 in Montevideo, Uruguay, Pasquet studied violin and conducting at the National Music College. He later studied in Germany, violin at the Stuttgart College of Music and conducting in Nürnberg...

 at the Hochschule für Musik "Franz Liszt" in Weimar

Weimar

Weimar is a city in Germany famous for its cultural heritage. It is located in the federal state of Thuringia , north of the Thüringer Wald, east of Erfurt, and southwest of Halle and Leipzig. Its current population is approximately 65,000. The oldest record of the city dates from the year 899...

.

In 2008 David Afkham won the first prize of the Donatella Flick Conducting Competition

Donatella Flick Conducting Competition

The Donatella Flick Conducting Competition is an international music competition for young conductors, held biennially in London.-History:The Donatella Flick Conducting Competetition is named after the philanthropist Donatella Flick, who founded the competition in 1990 to help young conductors to...

 and became the assistant conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra

London Symphony Orchestra

The London Symphony Orchestra is a major orchestra of the United Kingdom, as well as one of the best-known orchestras in the world. Since 1982, the LSO has been based in London's Barbican Centre.-History:...

 and assistant of Valery Gergiev

Valery Gergiev

Valery Abisalovich Gergiev is a Russian conductor and opera company director. He is general director and artistic director of the Mariinsky Theatre, principal conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra, and artistic director of the White Nights Festival in St. Petersburg.- Early life :Gergiev,...

. Since 2010 he is also the assistant conductor of the Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra

Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra

Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester is a youth orchestra based in Vienna, Austria, founded in 1986 by conductor Claudio Abbado.-History:...

.

He has conducted the London Symphony Orchestra

London Symphony Orchestra

The London Symphony Orchestra is a major orchestra of the United Kingdom, as well as one of the best-known orchestras in the world. Since 1982, the LSO has been based in London's Barbican Centre.-History:...

, Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester, Chicago Civic Orchestra, The Cleveland Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic

Los Angeles Philharmonic

The Los Angeles Philharmonic is an American orchestra based in Los Angeles, California, United States. It has a regular season of concerts from October through June at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, and a summer season at the Hollywood Bowl from July through September...

, Jenaer Philharmonie

Jenaer Philharmonie

The Jenaer Philharmonie is a symphony orchestra based in Jena, Germany. It was founded in 1934 with the intent to revive and continue the old traditions of the "Collegium musicum Jenense" and the academic concerts by the Friedrich Schiller University of Jena...

, Orquesta Sinfónica Simón Bolívar

Orquesta Sinfónica Simón Bolívar

The Orquesta Sinfónica Simón Bolívar is a Venezuelan orchestra. It is the apex of the nation's system of youth orchestras under the auspices of Fundacion del Estado para el Sistema Nacional de las Orquestas Juveniles e Infantiles de Venezuela, known colloquially as El Sistema...

, Bamberg Symphony, Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Chicago, Illinois. It is one of the five American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five". Founded in 1891, the Symphony makes its home at Orchestra Hall in Chicago and plays a summer season at the Ravinia Festival...

, Staatskapelle Weimar and served as assistant of Bernard Haitink

Bernard Haitink

Bernard Johan Herman Haitink, CH, KBE is a Dutch conductor and violinist.- Early life :Haitink was born in Amsterdam, the son of Willem Haitink and Anna Haitink. He studied music at the conservatoire in Amsterdam...

 with the Royal Concertgebouw

Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra

The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra is a symphony orchestra of the Netherlands, based at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. In 1988, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands conferred the "Royal" title upon the orchestra...

 and Chicago Symphony

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Chicago, Illinois. It is one of the five American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five". Founded in 1891, the Symphony makes its home at Orchestra Hall in Chicago and plays a summer season at the Ravinia Festival...

 orchestras, assistant guest conductor of the Baden-Wurttemberg Youth Orchestra and principal conductor of the KHG-Symphony-Orchestra Freiburg.

He is a conducting fellow of the Richard Wagner Association

Bayreuth Festival

The Bayreuth Festival is a music festival held annually in Bayreuth, Germany, at which performances of operas by the 19th century German composer Richard Wagner are presented...

 in Bayreuth, Germany.

He is the brother of Micha Afkham, violist with the Berlin Philharmonic.