Bohuslav Rattay, M.M.
Director of Orchestral Activities

Czech-American conductor Bohuslav Rattay is a busy ambassador for classical music, working with orchestras across the globe to produce symphonic works of all kinds to a diverse audience. Currently serving as Music Director of the El Paso Symphony Orchestra and the Midland Symphony Orchestra of Michigan, he has gained a reputation as one of the finest talents of his generation. Mr. Rattay combines impassioned and virtuosic musicianship with a determination to bring great music into the lives of all people.
Mr. Rattay strives to enthusiastically promote both the traditional and innovative aspects of classical music together in a manner exciting and fresh for the audience. He is designs unique concert programs, incorporating special audience discussions and multi-media elements. He is also appreciated for his passion for the classics, with special appreciation often given to his insightful understanding of the music of his native Bohemia. Critics have praised Rattay for his ability to communicate the depth and diversity of music to his audience, acclaiming: “Rattay is certainly the man for Tchaikovsky’s fourth” (Charleston Today), and for the fashionable, “Watching him conduct is like watching a painter creating rich imagery to live music on a large canvas” (El Paso Times). His programming is intelligent and expansive, allowing him to connect to a broad range of audience, thus creating new symphony-goers while entertaining the enthusiasts.
Rattay’s talents and abilities are highly praised. He is internationally acclaimed by critics and audiences alike for his fresh and inspired musical interpretations. He has received accolades for his “vibrant” performances and his “elegant panache,” (Charleston City Paper), his ability to lead the orchestra with his “infectious zest and physicality,” (Midland Daily News), and his one-of-a-kind artistry, bringing “personal perspective... that will be remembered for many years,” (Duluth News Tribune).
His overflowing passion for classical music is highly solicited, appearing as guest conductor with the Colorado Symphony, the Duluth-Superior Symphony, the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra, the Bogota Sinfonica de Colombia, the Antalya Symphony in Turkey, and the Teplice Philharmonic in his native Czech Republic. Other recent engagements include the Virginia Symphony, West Michigan Symphony, the Irving Symphony Orchestra, Prague’s Dvořák Symphony Orchestra, and the Charleston (SC) Symphony, where he received several critical accolades. He has also conducted the National Symphony Orchestra as part of the National Conducting Institute and was selected by the American Symphony Orchestra League to participate in its Conducting Fellowship Program.
Believing in the power of education, Mr. Rattay is a committed pedagogue of the younger generations. He recently joined the music faculty at the University of Texas at El Paso, and has been a faculty member of the College of William and Mary, Ball State University, and youth orchestras across the United States. The combination of his youthful energy along with his conducting skills make him highly valued as an inspirational mentor.
Mr. Rattay holds degrees from the Prague Conservatory, Rice University and the Peabody Institute of Music. He names Gustav Meier, Larry Rachleff, Benjamin Kamins, and Neeme Jarvi as his most influential teachers.
Contact Info
Department of Music
Office: FFA M337
Email: brattay2@utep.edu
Office Phone: (915) 747-5482