BBC Philharmonic appoints John Storgårds as chief conductor

The BBC Philharmonic has today announced the appointment of Finnish conductor and violinist John Storgårds to the role of chief conductor, effective immediately. Storgårds will succeed Israeli conductor and composer Omer Meir Wellber, who took the role of music director of the Vienna Volksoper in September.

Storgårds’ next performance with the BBC Philharmonic will be a programme of Beethoven and Tchaikovsky performed in collaboration with pianist Martin Roscoe at Victoria Hall in Stoke-on-Trent on 2 December. He will work closely with director, Simon Webb, who from January will take on the position of head of BBC Orchestras and Choirs.

Webb said: ‘Having built a strong and trusting relationship with John over the last decade, we are delighted that he is now joining us as Chief Conductor. His Sibelius and Nielsen symphony cycles in Manchester, on Radio 3, and recorded for Chandos laid the foundations for a relationship that has seen John and the BBC Philharmonic thrill audiences at the BBC Proms, on international tours, on Radio 3, and in venues across the North of England… John always brings an energy and conviction rooted in his love for this great orchestra.’

The 11^th chief conductor in the BBC Philharmonic’s history, Storgårds’ appointment builds on over a decade of collaboration with the orchestra. He has held the role of chief guest conductor since 2017, and so his promotion will require the orchestra to appoint a new chief guest conductor. Alongside his new role he continues as principal guest conductor of Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra Ottawa and artistic director of the Lapland Chamber Orchestra.

Storgårds said: ‘Having first worked with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra in 2010, then taking up the position of Principal Guest Conductor in 2012, and in 2017 becoming Chief Guest Conductor, it is with pure enthusiasm that I'm now going to be the orchestra’s new Chief Conductor. Over my many years of collaboration with the BBC Philharmonic, our partnership has been built on great musicmaking and trust.’