Josef Špaček

Praised for his remarkable range of colours, confident and focused stage presence, technical poise, and the beauty of his tone, Josef Špaček is widely regarded as one of the foremost violinists of his generation.

His performances across an extensive repertoire have earned acclaim for their “astonishing articulation and athleticism” (The Scotsman) and “a richness and piquancy of timbre” (The Telegraph).

Mr. Špaček has performed with esteemed orchestras including the Orchestre de Paris, Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, and Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, among others. As the youngest concertmaster in the history of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, he served in the role until the 2019/20 season before dedicating himself entirely to his solo career. He continues to collaborate with the Czech Philharmonic as an “Associate Artist” and regularly works with distinguished conductors such as Jakub Hrůša, Petr Popelka, Semyon Bychkov, and Manfred Honeck, performing at leading venues across Europe, Asia, and the USA.

An avid chamber musician, Josef Špaček is a founding member of Trio Zimbalist alongside cellist Timotheos Gavriilidis-Petrin and pianist George Xiaoyuan Fu. His critically acclaimed recordings include violin concertos by Dvořák and Janáček with the Czech Philharmonic, hailed as "second to none" by The Sunday Times, as well as Martinů’s violin works recorded with the Prague Radio Orchestra and pianist Miroslav Sekera.

A graduate of The Juilliard School, the Curtis Institute of Music, and the Prague Conservatory, Mr. Špaček is a laureate of several prestigious competitions, including the International Queen Elisabeth Competition.

He performs on the 1732 “LeBrun; Bouthillard” Guarneri del Gesù violin. Based in Prague with his wife and three children, Mr. Špaček enjoys cycling in his spare time. In June 2024, he inaugurated the Troja Festival, a chamber music event in Prague.