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David Afkham

b. 1982

Orchestral conductor

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About David Afkham

Born 1982. David Afkham is a German conductor and musician.

David Afkham (born 1983 ) is a German conductor.

Biography Born in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany, Afkham began violin and piano studies at age 6. At age 15, he studied at the Hochschule für Musik Freiburg, where he was a piano student of James Avery. In 2002, he won the competition. In 2007, he finished his conducting studies with Nicolás Pasquet at the Hochschule für Musik "Franz Liszt" in Weimar. One of his siblings is Micha Afkham, a violist with the Berlin Philharmonic. and subsequently became assistant conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra. From 2009 to 2012, he was assistant conductor of the Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra.

In 2014, Afkham became principal conductor of the Orquesta Nacional de España (ONE), his first principal conductorship. In February 2019, the ONE announced the elevation of Afkham's title with the orchestra to chief conductor and artistic director of the Orquesta y Coro Nacional de España (OCNE), effective with the 2019–2020 season. In January 2023, the OCNE announced the extension of Afkham's contract through September 2026. Afkham concluded his tenure as chief conductor of the OCNE at the close of the 2025–2026 season, with the debut of both the ONE and Afkham at the BBC Proms in July 2026.

Afkham is married to the soprano Christiane Karg. The couple have two children. With Karg, Afkham has commercially recorded for such labels as Berlin Classics. For his services to music, Afkham was appointed Commander of the Civil Order of Alfonso X, the Wise in June 2026.

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Important facts

Born
1982, Freiburg im Breisgau
Birth century
Occupation
Nationality
Education
Hochschule für Musik Freiburg, Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt Weimar
Employers
Deutsche Oper Berlin
Awards
Karajan Prize; Knight Commander of the Order of Alfonso X

People in David Afkham's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped David Afkham's

Frequently asked questions

Who is David Afkham?

Orchestral conductor

When was David Afkham born?

David Afkham was born in 1982 in Freiburg im Breisgau.

What is David Afkham's occupation?

David Afkham is a conductor and musician.

What nationality is David Afkham?

David Afkham is German.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: David Afkham

· Wikidata: Q1173532

· DBpedia: David Afkham

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). David Afkham. https://biography.guide/david-afkham/

MLA: "David Afkham." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/david-afkham/.

Chicago: "David Afkham." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/david-afkham/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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