The President of the Government of Gran Canaria and President of the Foundation OFGC, Antonio Morales, has announced that Karel Mark Chichon will continue at the helm of the Orquesta Filarmonica de Gran Canaria until July 2027.

 During the Press Conference held on 20 March 2024, Antonio Morales stated that the decision was taken given that the orchestra has reached the highest artistic success in its history since the appointment of Maestro Chichon in 2017. Following the orchestra’s resounding success at the Teatro Real in Madrid last October, the Spanish National Press has placed the orchestra as the best in the country and one of the finest in Europe. It is also the only Spanish orchestra to presently record for the prestigious record label Deutsche Gramophon, a recording of which was labelled by the New York Times as one of the best recordings of 2022. Chichon has also proved to actively support local young artists, including female contemporary composers from Gran Canaria. His masterclasses for young conductors have also been a resounding success, attracting young conductors from all over the world and in so doing developing the orchestra’s educational outreach programme. Concert subscribers are at an all-time high with more than 1,100 people subscribing to the orchestra’s complete series of concerts throughout the year. With all of this in mind, Karel Mark Chichon commented that he was very grateful for the trust and support shown to him by the Government of Gran Canaria. He felt there were still many objectives to fulfil, especially in bringing the orchestra further into the international stage, with plans underway to have the orchestra tour to New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington as well as the important cultural cities in Europe such as the Vienna, Berlin, Leipzig, Dresden, Hamburg and others, as well as further recording projects.

Chichon’s contract has been renewed for a period of three years, until 2025.

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 15th June, 2022 – The President of the Government of Gran Canaria and President of the Foundation OFGC, Antonio Morales, has announced that British Conductor Karel Mark Chichon will continue to guide the artistic destiny of the Orquesta Filarmónica de Gran Canaria as its Chief Conductor and Artistic Director until the year 2025.

Antonio Morales has stated that this decision has been taken in response to the great artistic success of Chichon continues to enjoy with the orchestra and public alike, claiming “Chichon has placed our orchestra in another level and, as critics rightly say, it has never sounded this good in all its history. This has also made possible that many of the greatest conductors and soloists in the world now perform with our orchestra, something that was not the case before Chichon’s tenure and which has given our orchestra a higher reputation within cultural circles”.

Chichon’s contract has been renewed for a period of three and a half years, until 2023.

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 25th May, 2018.- The Minister of Culture of the Government of Gran Canaria and President of the Foundation OFGC, Carlos Ruiz, has announced that British Conductor Karel Mark Chichon will continue to guide the artistic destiny of the Orquesta Filarmónica de Gran Canaria as its Chief Conductor and Artistic Director until the year 2023.

Carlos Ruiz has stated that this decision, which was always envisaged to be taken a year after the signing of the initial contract of Maestro Chichon, has been taken in response to the great artistic success of Chichon’s first season with the orchestra and in particular the chemistry between the orchestra and the British Maestro. Another underlying factor has been the importance of planning more in advance the programming of future concert seasons.

With this contract renewal, stated Ruiz, the stability of the OFGC is guaranteed. The constant presence of Maestro Chichon, which is characterised by his great musical capacity as well as his management skills, will guarantee a singular artistic line for the orchestra and in so doing fulfils one of the Government’s priorities for this ensemble.

On Thursday 23^rd May saw the presentation of the 2018-19 season of subscription concerts of the Orquesta Filarmonica de Gran Canaria. In the presence of the Minister for Culture, Carlos Ruiz, the Chief conductor & Artistic Director of the Orquesta Filarmonica de Gran Canaria, Karel Mark Chichon, announced a total of 19 subscription concerts which will be presented during next season, with a focus on renowned conductors and soloists and in renewing the orchestra’s repertoire with the programming of 24 new works which have never been performed by the orchestra. Details here

temporada1819

On 22nd May 2017, the president of Gran Canaria’s government Antonio Morales announced Karel Mark Chichon as the new Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Orquesta Filarmónica de Gran Canaria (OFGC). Karel will take over this position at the start of the 2017/18 season, and the initial contract spans three and a half years. His previous Chief Conductor positions have been at the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie Saarbrücken Kaiserslautern, Latvian National Symphony Orchestra and Graz Symphony Orchestra Austria.

The Governing Body of the Royal Academy of Music in London, one of the elite music conservatoires in the world, has elected conductor Karel Mark Chichon (OBE) a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music (FRAM).
KMC FRAM PR

Karel Mark Chichon made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York, one of the world’s most prestigious opera houses, on Friday 19th February where he conducted Puccini’s Madama Butterfly.
KMC MET debut PR

Gong, Dolní Vítkovice, Ostrava, Czech Republic
Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra Ostrava
Glinka, Tchaikovsky

Auditorio Alfredo Kraus, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Orquesta Filarmónica de Gran Canaria
Chorus of the Orquesta Filarmónica de Gran Canaria
Chorus of the Opera de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Verdi: Aida
Season Opening Concert

Kurhaus, Bad Wörishofen, Germany
Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra Ostrava
Mischa Maisky, cello
Dvořák

Kurhaus, Bad Wörishofen, Germany
Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra Ostrava

Auditorio Alfredo Kraus, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Orquesta Filarmónica de Gran Canaria

Auditorio Alfredo Kraus, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Orquesta Filarmónica de Gran Canaria

Shanghai Symphony Hall
Shanghai Symphony Orchestra
Shanghai Music Festival

Shanghai Symphony Hall
Shanghai Symphony Orchestra
Shanghai Music Festival

National Centre for the Performing Arts, Beijing
NCPA Orchestra
Beijing Music Festival

Auditorio Alfredo Kraus, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Orquesta Filarmónica de Gran Canaria
Steven Isserlis, cello
Elgar, Ravel, Rivera (world premiere), Enescu

Auditorio Alfredo Kraus, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Orquesta Filarmónica de Gran Canaria
Sergej Krylov, violin
Tchaikovsky

Auditorio Alfredo Kraus, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Orquesta Filarmónica de Gran Canaria
Female Chorus of the Orquesta Filarmónica de Gran Canaria
Children’s Chorus of the Orquesta Filarmónica de Gran Canaria
Youth Orchestra of the Orquesta Filarmónica de Gran Canaria
Nancy Fabiola Herrera, mezzo-soprano
Mahler: Symphony No 3

Auditorio Alfredo Kraus, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Orquesta Filarmónica de Gran Canaria
25th Opening Anniversary Concert of the Auditorio Alfredo Kraus

Teatro Circo de Marte, La Palma
Orquesta Filarmónica de Gran Canaria
Clara Andrada de la Calle, flute
Mozart
International Music Festival of the Canary Islands

Auditorio, La Gomera
Orquesta Filarmónica de Gran Canaria
Clara Andrada de la Calle, flute
Mozart
International Music Festival of the Canary Islands

Sala Gabriel Rodo, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Orquesta Filarmónica de Gran Canaria
Conducting masterclasses

Auditorio Alfredo Kraus, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Orquesta Filarmónica de Gran Canaria
International Music Festival of the Canary Islands

Auditorio Adán Martín, Tenerife
Orquesta Filarmónica de Gran Canaria
International Music Festival of the Canary Islands

National Forum of Music, Wroclaw, Poland
Wroclaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Poland
Jose Maria Gallardo Del Rey, guitar
Falla, Rodrigo, Dzenitis

Crusellhallen, Linköping, Sweden
Norrköping Symphony Orchestra
Nelson Goerner, pianoforte
Brahms, Tchaikovsky

De Geerhallen, Norrköping, Sweden
Norrköping Symphony Orchestra
Nelson Goerner, pianoforte
Brahms, Tchaikovsky

Grosser Saal, Landestheater Linz, Austria
Bruckner Orchester Linz
Richard Strauss

Auditorio Alfredo Kraus, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Orquesta Filarmónica de Gran Canaria
Auxiliadora Caballero, organ
Katia Dunez, violin
World premiere (details tba) Handel, Chausson, Mussorgsky

Veterans Memorial Auditorium, Rhode Island, USA
Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra
Alexander Gavrylyuk, pianoforte

Veterans Memorial Auditorium, Rhode Island, USA
Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra
Alexander Gavrylyuk, pianoforte

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Orquesta Filarmónica de Gran Canaria
Children Educational Concerts (outreach programme)
Mussorgsky

Auditorio Alfredo Kraus, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Orquesta Filarmónica de Gran Canaria
Rudolf Buchbinder, pianoforte
Beethoven, Brahms

Kursaal, San Sebastian
Basque National Orchestra
Anne Gastinel, cello
Dzenitis, Korngold, Prokofiev

Kursaal, San Sebastian
Basque National Orchestra
Anne Gastinel, cello
Dzenitis, Korngold, Prokofiev

Teatro Principal, Vitoria
Basque National Orchestra
Anne Gastinel, cello
Dzenitis, Korngold, Prokofiev

Baluarte, Pamplona
Basque National Orchestra
Anne Gastinel, cello
Dzenitis, Korngold, Prokofiev

Palacio Euskalduna, Bilbao
Basque National Orchestra
Anne Gastinel, cello
Dzenitis, Korngold, Prokofiev

Staatsoper Unter den Linden, Berlin
Verdi: Rigoletto

Staatsoper Unter den Linden, Berlin
Verdi: Rigoletto

Staatsoper Unter den Linden, Berlin
Verdi: Rigoletto

Staatsoper Unter den Linden, Berlin
Verdi: Rigoletto

Staatsoper Unter den Linden, Berlin
Verdi: Rigoletto