BIOGRAPHY

Croatian/American conductor Zvonimir Hačko has served as the Artistic Director of Oregon Music Festival since 2014 and has recently been appointed Artistic & Music Director of the International Centre for Contemporary Music (ICCM) in London. A conductor with a thriving international career, Hačko has held various Music Directorships with orchestras in Europe and the United States. He currently divides his time between the two subscription seasons and continues active guest conducting work with ensembles in the USA, United Kingdom, European Union, South America and Asia.

Born and raised in former Yugoslavia, he came to the United States to complete advanced degrees in conducting at the University of Washington and Indiana University (Bloomington). Since the late 1980’s he has maintained an active international conducting schedule leading such orchestras as Haifa Symphony, Symphony Orchestra of Brazilian National Theater, Tbilisi Symphony, Symphony Orchestra of Serbian Radio-Television, Istanbul Chamber Orchestra, State of Mexico Symphony, Symphony Orchestra of Croatian Radio-Television, Poznan Philharmonic (Poland), Orchestra Sinfonica Siciliana (Italy), Sacramento Philharmonic, Los Angeles Baroque Orchestra, and many others. His multicultural background and experience have contributed to his in-depth knowledge of the European classical tradition and a keen interest in contemporary music. He is an avid proponent of contemporary music and has given world and national premieres of many works by such composers as Vasks, Tuur, Paert, Rautavaara, Higdon, Gorecki, Tavener, John Adams, Kancheli, and many others.

Hačko’s current recording projects include a Bohuslav Martinů series with Budapest Symphony Orchestra, an all-Italian CD with Roma Sinfonietta, a recording of contemporary Polish works with London Sinfonietta, a CD of Respighi’s tone poems with Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, recording of contemporary women composers with the Philharmonia Orchestra, the album Bouquet de Musique (Tabakova, Zebeljan, Schnittke) with Orchestra of St. Luke's, an all-Menotti recording with Budapest Symphony Orchestra, an all-Casella recording with Orchestra of the Roma Opera, and a recording of Penderecki's complete symphonies with the Philharmonia Orchestra, Hačko records for Naxos, Signum and Supraphon.

Future concert engagements include performances with St. Petersburg State Capella Symphony Orchestra, ​Romanian State Philharmonic Orchestra, Prague Chamber Orchestra, Budapest Symphony Orchestra, London Sinfonietta, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Roma Sinfonietta, Portland Symphonic Choir & Orchestra,  Philharmonia Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, performances at the Teatro della Fondazione Pergolesi Spontini (Italy) and in the US with Oregon Festival Orchestra and Pearl Chamber Orchestra.

Upon the nostrification of his diploma by the Academy of Music in Zagreb, Hačko continued his studies of music, philosophy, and the visual arts in London and Reading (England). He went to America in 1971 to further his education and received a Master's degree in conducting from the University of Washington and a Doctorate in conducting from Indiana University, Jacobs School of Music (Bloomington). His main teachers include Herbert Blomstedt, Robert Porco, and Leonard Bernstein. Since 1999 he has led an active international career and now divides his time between Europe and USA.
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