In his four years as Chief Conductor of The Czech Philharmonic Orchestra he has demonstrated a tireless enthusiasm and wonderful sparkling artistic strength with which he has inspired them. Thanks to him they rank amongst the best musical bodies in the world with a fabulous reputation. It is no surprise that engagement offers for him are mounting all the time but Zdeněk Mácal refuses them all and simply concentrates on his orchestra.

In 2004 he gained four awards, for one of the most valuable he was honoured on the occasion of October 28th, the National Holiday celebration in the Prague Castle Hall "Vladislavský sál" by the president of Czech Republic for his lifetime service to music. No less precious was being honoured by the University of Palacky and being granted an honorary doctorate by the Janáček Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Brno. "Right here, my way started and here I am now returning." With this words Zdeněk Mácal, celebrated for his brilliant interpretation and grandiose conducting style, commented on his nomination as Chief Conductor of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra for the season 2003-2004.

The globally celebrated charismatic musician, an American national, permanent living in Switzerland, decided to return after many years working abroad to Prague in the Czech Republic, to take over this prestige post.

Gradually he was engaged in Cologne as a conductor of Rundfunksymphonieorchester in Köln am Rhein then he also appeared in Hannover where he conducted Hannoveraner Rundfunkorchester. His artistic journey paused for a while in the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, where he had the post of Chief Conductor. His position as an Artistic Director of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra initiated his move to the American continent. As a chief conductor he also co-operated with the Grant Park Summer Festival - Chicago and The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, which, thanks to him and his tenure from 1993 to 2002, had its best years. In 1998 he was honored with the title of Doctor by the Westminster College Choir.

During his career he got many invitations from remarkable American orchestras where he is appreciated as a conductor of great personality and ability with a precise creative concept and individual emotion. As a guest conductor he conducted numerous remarkable American orchestras, including The New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, Washington National Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic and Boston Symphony Orchestra.

During his career Zdeněk Mácal conducted more than 170 orchestras of four continents. His musical profile would not be complete if we didn't mention his participation in many prominent international festivals in Europe: Vienna, Lucerne, Montreux, Edinburgh, Prague, Athens, Besançon as well as in America´s Ravinia, Tanglewood, Wolf Trap, The Holywood Bowl. Also his musical recordings made by such companies as Delos, Koss, Sony, EMI, Decca, Deutsche Grammophon, Supraphon and Octavia Records deserve world recognition.

His return to the country of his birth, to re-establish his connection with Czech orchestras, many consider sensational. The post as a Chief Conductor of The Czech Philharmonic Orchestra reprises his 1996 and 1997 engagement for Prague Spring Festival where, after a long break, he again conducted The Czech Philharmonic. He likewise renewed the co-operation with The Prague Symphonic Orchestra where, from 2001, he occupied the position of First Conductor.

In Autumn 2003 Zdeněk Mácal started to write one of the most significant chapters of his artistic life, being appointed the Chief Conductor of the Czech Philharmonic. In his four years as Chief Conductor of the Czech Philharmonic he has demonstrated a tireless enthusiasm and wonderful sparkling artistic strength with which he has inspired them.

In 2008 conductor took up the position of Artistic Director of the International Festival of Besançon and he became the President of the Jury of the International Conductors Competition.