Regarded as the leading Spanish conductor of his generation, Josep Pons has built strong relationships with Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Orchestre de Paris, NHK Symphony Orchestra, Tokyo, Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen and BBC Symphony Orchestra – the latter including several appearances at the BBC Proms. 

The 2022/23 season will see Pons return to Orquesta Sinfonica RTVE, Orquesta Nacional de España, Orchestra National Bordeaux Aquitaine, Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie accompanied by the Spanish violinist Leticia Moreno, the Orquesta sinfónica de Castilla y León and Orchestre Philharmonic de Montecarlo with the French violinist Renaud Capuçon as well as his debut at Paris Opera. 

At the end of the 2020/21 season, Pons renewed his contract as Music Director of Gran Teatre del Liceu until 2025/26. His tenure began in 2012 and he conducts a number of productions in Barcelona each season, most recently Ariadne auf Naxos, Oedipus Rex, Pelleas et Melisande, Wozzeck, and a concert performance of Bluebeard’s Castle at the Opéra Bastille. In the past seasons, Don Giovanni, Lessons of Love and Violence, Káťa Kabanova, Rodelinda, Roméo et Juliette, Elektra, and the world premiere of Casablancas’ new opera L’Enigma de Lea. 

This season he will give opera performances of Don Pasquale, Macbeth, and Parsifal. He also holds the position of Honorary Conductor of Orquesta Nacional de España having previously served as their Artistic Director for nine years during which he substantially raised their international profile. He is also Honorary Conductor of Orquesta Ciudad de Granada. 

Josep Pons’ discography of over 50 CDs and DVDs, mostly released by Harmonia Mundi and Deutsche Grammophon, includes recordings of Falla, and French repertoire regarded as benchmark interpretations and earning numerous awards. His recording of Noches en los jardines de España with Javier Perianes won a Choc de la Musique, Melancolía with Patricia Petibon received a Gramophone Editor’s Choice, and his collaboration with Tomatito earned him a Latin Grammy. His recording of Berio’s Sinfonia and Mahler/Berio’s 10 Frühe Lieder with BBC Symphony Orchestra and Matthias Goerne, won the BBC Music Award, Choc de la musique, ECHO Klassik Awards and Télérama Ffff awards. His latest release on Harmonia Mundi is the live recording of Granados’ opera, Goyescas with BBC Symphony Orchestra.

Josep Pons began his musical training at the prestigious Escolanía de Montserrat. The secular tradition and intense study of both Polyphony and contemporary music in this center marked his later development both musically and intellectually. In 1999 he received the Spanish National Music Prize for his outstanding work on twentieth century music. In 2019, Pons was awarded Honorary Doctorate from Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona.