Artistic leader

Ewald Danel

Ewald Danel studied the violin and conducting at the Ostrava Conservatory and the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava. He attended a conducting course with Prof. Karl Österreicher and a choir conducting course with Prof. Jan Wierszyłowski and completed his doctoral studies with Prof. Bohdan Warchal. After his studies he was Concertmaster of the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Slovak National Theatre Orchestra for two years. Since 1985 he has been the Concertmaster of the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra with which he also appears as soloist and conductor. In 2001 he took over the position of Artistic Leader of the Slovak Chamber Orchestra.

As a soloist and conductor Mr. Danel has performed on the stages of a multitude of European cities, and overseas (Japan, Korea, Egypt, Panama, Brazil, US). He cooperates on a long-term basis with the Orquestra Sinfonica Municipal São Paulo, Hiroshima Symphony Orchestra, Akita Chamber Orchestra, Tokyo Harmonia Chamber Orchestra, and he has performed with the Klang Verwaltung München, Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa, Nagoya Philharmonic Orchestra, Osaka Symphoniker, Sakata Philharmonic Orchestra, Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra, PKF – Prague Philharmonia, Orquesta Filarmónica de Málaga and the Janáček Philharmonic Ostrava a. o. He was the Chief Guest Conductor of the Hiroshima Symphony Orchestra from 2008 – 2014.

Apart from his conducting and solo activities he has a wealth of experience in chamber music – as a leader of the Slovak Quartet since 1986, as a co-founder of the Slovak Piano Trio, the violinist of Kubín Quartet, and he has also played in the Musica Aeterna ensemble for many years. From 1992 – 1996 he was the concertmaster of Cappella Istropolitana. He cooperates in various chamber ensemble projects at home and abroad. He was awarded the Sebastian Prize for his outstanding contribution to the legacy of the works of J. S. Bach. He taught at the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava from 1987 – 1998 and from 1999 – 2003 and 2007 – 2009 held the position of a guest professor at the Aichi Prefectural University of Fine Arts and Music in Nagoya in Japan. At present he teaches at the Academy of Arts in Banská Bystrica.

As the concertmaster of the Slovak Chamber Orchestra he initiated the Church Music Cycle and introduced the idea of concerts for the disabled. He repeatedly performs Dvořák’s Biblical Songs as a project open to a wide range of interested people, e.g. at the Pohoda festival (2018) with the participation of over 250 singers. An important part of his artistic activities is targeting long-term cooperation with various church and amateur choirs and music ensembles in the role of conductor, organizer and author of spiritual music.