Smetana Litomyšl Festival • Nicholas Kraemer

“It is the fulfilment of a dream we shared with Jiří Bělohlávek: after two years of preparations, we are ushering in concerts of the Czech Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra. This name does not stand for one particular ensemble; instead it represents a project in which the orchestra members will be performing in various chamber groups,” said David Mareček, Chief Executive Officer of the Czech Philharmonic, in the spring of 2018. Jiří Bělohlávek was convinced that it was healthy for the Czech Philharmonic to play in a smaller ensemble with a repertoire spanning the Baroque to the present, where the musicians can hone their intonation, phrasing, and collaboration as individuals within a whole group. The Czech Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra, consisting exclusively of the members of the Czech Philharmonic assembled for a specific occasion, was officially established in the Czech Philharmonic’s 123rd season. Since then, the ensemble has already prepared fifteen projects presented both during the orchestra’s regular season at the Rudolfinum and at festival appearances.

Nicholas Kraemer, a pioneer of historically informed interpretation and now chief guest conductor of the Chicago-based orchestra Music of the Baroque, has earned an international reputation for leading ensembles specializing in early music. He began his career as a harpsichordist, but soon moved to the front of the orchestra, conducting directly from this instrument. He has held positions as artistic director of the Irish Chamber Orchestra and the London Bach Orchestra, was the first music director of the British company English Touring Opera and founded the ensemble The Raglan Baroque Players.

However, he also guest conducts modern orchestras (especially in the US and the UK, but also, for example, the Berlin Philharmonic), which he guides toward informed interpretation. Although Baroque is his main specialization, his repertoire ranges from Monteverdi to the present day. In Paris, Lisbon, Amsterdam, Geneva, Bergen, and Marseille, he has conducted numerous operas by R. Strauss, B. Britten, W. A. Mozart, and others.

The music of G. F. Handel plays an important role in his conducting and performing activities. In the spring of 2025, on the occasion of his 80th birthday, he performed Handel’s oratorio Theodora with the Music of the Baroque orchestra and choir. He also has a close relationship with Handel’s oratorio Messiah, which he first heard at the age of nine at an orchestra rehearsal in Edinburgh, where his mother played. He was very impressed by the work and has performed it more than a hundred times during his conducting career. In 2022, he also successfully recorded it and released it on CD. He also performed this work during his debut with the Czech Philharmonic, together with the Prague Philharmonic Choir and leading British soloists in 2024 – the performance was praised by critics and hailed as one of the highlights of the season. He returned to Czechia a year later to conduct Bach’s Mass in B minor.

Kraemer’s discography is also extensive – examples include Vivaldi’s concertos with the City of London Sinfonia chamber orchestra, P. Locatelli’s Concerti grossi, G. Tartini’s Violin concertos, and concertos by F. Durante, G. B. Pergolesi, and L. Leo with violinist Elizabeth Wallfisch and the Raglan Baroque Players.

A three-part series is available on YouTube, in which Nicholas Kraemer talks to Sir Simon Rattle as part of the accompanying program to the concerts of the Music of the Baroque orchestra. This informal and friendly discussion between the two conductors offers listeners an interesting insight into their memories and personal experiences, not only with Baroque music. Nicholas Kraemer has also been involved in several feature films, most notably as Baroque music director for the film The Madness of King George.