Jiří Bělohlavek signed up to become chief conductor at Czech Philharmonic

World famous conductor Jiří Bělohlavek has been appointed the chief conductor of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. A spokesman for the Ministry of Culture confirmed the news. The contract with the new conductor apparently starts in the autumn of 2012. The 64-year-old Bělohlavek is currently head of the BBC Symphony Orchestra but his contract there expires in 2012. He is regarded as the most successful contemporary Czech conductor. The Czech Philharmonic has been without a chief conductor since Israeli conductor Elijah Inbal finished around a year ago.