Gabriel Chmura was born in 1946 in Wrocław as the son of a Wrocław Opera Chorus member. He began his music education with Adam Kopyciński, a former director of the Opera. In 1957 he emigrated to Israel, where in 1964 he undertook studies in composition, conducting and piano performance at the Music Academy in Tel Aviv. In 1968-69 he studied conducting in École Normale de Musique in Paris under Pierre Dervaux and subsequently (1969-71) under Hans Svarovsky at the Music Academy in Vienna. He has been awarded many prizes at prestigious competitions, including First Prize in Besançon (1970), Gold Medal at the Concorso Cantelli in Milan (1971) and First Prize at the Herbert von Karajan Competition in Berlin (1971). From 1974 to 1981 he worked as Artistic Director of the Aachen Opera, and the symphony orchestras in Bochum and Ottawa. He is a guest conductor of the Berlin Symphony Orchestra. In October 2001 he assumed the post of Artistic Director of National Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra in Katowice. He has made recordings for cbs and Deutsche Grammophone. His cd featuring Schubert's Lazarus was awarded the Grand Prix du Disque Mondial de Montreux.