KUSO

Czech conductor Ondřej Soukup has conducted the BBC SSO, Czech Chamber Philharmonic, Bohuslav Martinů Philharmonic, Copenhagen Phil, and Symphony Orchestras of Ålborg, Århus, Odense, and Sønderborg among others. He regularly assists Ryan Bancroft with BBC NOW and Malmö Symphony, and Jac van Steen with Prague Symphony Orchestra and NYOS.

In the 2023/2024 season, Ondřej’s engagements include the Copenhagen Phil, the Danish Sinfonietta, Ålborg Symphony, Helsingborg Symphony, Magna Sinfonia, DKDM Symphony, and Prinsens Musikkorps.

He is proficient in symphonic, operatic, choral and contemporary music with a repertoire of 250+ works including Wagner’s Das Rheingold.

Recent highlights include working with Sir Thomas Allen, Sir Antonio Pappano, Maxim Vengerov, stepping in for Martyn Brabbins, Joana Carneiro, and with the Prague Summer Nights Festival at short notice.

Ondřej was MD with King’s College London Symphony Orchestra and recently graduated from London’s Royal College of Music with distinction.

Taiwanese conductor Chen-Hao Chiang is serving as associate conductor of Taipei Chinese Orchestra and Music Director of the TCO Academy Orchestra, Chen-Hao is a versatile conductor, proficient in symphonic, contemporary and Chinese music with a wide-ranging knowledge and passion for a diverse range of repertoire.

After winning the first prize winner of the Taiwan Chinese Orchestra Conducting Competition in 2015, his career of professional conductor has begun. As a conductor based in the Chinese music field, he has worked with several leading Chinese Orchestras such as Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, Shanghai Chinese Orchestra, Kaohsiung Chinese Orchestra and Taiwan Chinese Orchestra. He is generally recognised as one of the most devoted conductors specialising in Chinese music in his generation.

Chen-Hao has been employed by Taipei Chinese Orchestra as associate conductor since 2016. During this period, he has conducted over 120 concerts and assisted numerous conductors to perfect all the projects with TCO. In 2020, he urgently substituted at the last minute for an illness guest conductor during a rehearsal of a TCO concert, which is highly received from both audience and members of the orchestra.

He is pursuing the Advanced Postgraduate (soloist) degree at The Royal Danish Academy of Music with Giordano Bellincampi.

Jesper started playing the violin in 1981 with teacher Julie Friisholm, and later Holger Steinrud. In 1989 he began playing with the former violin professor a the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen, Peder Elbæk, and this collaboration lasted for 10 years, until Jesper finished his studies with the diploma exam (which corresponds to a Master’s degree) in 2000. At the academy Jesper, also studied with Palle Heichelmann and Peter Fabricius.

Jesper’s career as conductor started in the mid 90’s, where he conducted orchestras in Næstved and Helsingør, and in 2004 he became KUSO’s primary conductor, where he had also been a member for many years. Thereafter, Jesper’s commitment arose further until 2006, where he became the regular conductor for the “Student Music Union Orchestra” (Studenter Musikforeningens Orkester), now known as “Byens Symfoni”, and KYS “Københavns Yngre Strygere” (Copenhagen Young Strings).

During that period, Jesper briefly studied orchestra conducting privately with the conductor Frans Rasmussen. Moreover, he completed DAMU’s Masterclass for orchestra conductors twice, also under the supervision of Frans Rasmussen, at the highest level.

Besides this, Jesper has served as ad hoc conductor for several amateur ensembles, as well as in professional contexts. In the summer of 2015, Jesper once again returned to KUSO, and have since the summer 2016 been the orchestra’s permanent conductor.