Now in his sixth season as the Artistic Director of the Muncie Symphony Orchestra, Czech conductor Bohuslav Rattay continues to astound and delight audiences the world over with his fresh and inspired interpretations of works ranging from perennial concert-hall favorites to the contemporary. Acclaimed for his insightful performances of the music of his native Bohemia, Mr. Rattay is a popular guest conductor, with recent engagements including the Virginia Symphony, Prague's Dvorak Symphony Orchestra, and the Charleston (SC) Symphony, where he received critical accolades for a "vibrant" performance delivered with "elegant panache."
Driven by a particular passion for making classical music accessible to people from all walks of life, Mr. Rattay is renowned for his unique and innovative concert programs, which have incorporated everything from special audience discussions to the inclusion of multi-media elements. Most recently, Rattay oversaw the production of the Muncie Symphony Orchestra's premier recording venture: a collaboration with jazz vocalist Jackie Allen in celebration of the orchestra's 60th anniversary season.
An equally enthusiastic educator, Mr. Rattay joined the faculty of Ball State University in 2006 and, in addition to his regularly scheduled concert engagements, has appeared as a guest conductor for All-State and youth orchestras throughout the United States. Committed to the future of classical music and noted for his own youthful enthusiasm, he is avidly sought-after, not only as a skilled maestro, but as a mentor for the next generation of budding young artists.
A graduate of the distinguished Prague Conservatory, RiceUniversity, and the Peabody Institute of Music, Mr. Rattay studied with such esteemed instructors as Gustav Meier and Larry Rachleff. He has worked with both Neeme and Paavo Jarvi, JoAnn Falleta, Donald Thulean, Jorma Panula, Alexander Dmitriev, Daniel Lewis, and Carl St.Clair.
Long recognized as one of the bright young stars of the podium, he has conducted the National Symphony Orchestra as part of the National Conducting Institute and was selected by the League of American Orchestras to participate in its Conducting Fellowship Program.
Mr. Rattay has accepted an additional position of Music Director of the Lake Charles Symphony in Louisiana. With Muncie as his home base, he divides his time between the United States and Europe, dedicated to the idea that there is room in every life for great music.
