New Principal Guest Conductor Announced

• John Storgards to succeed Vassily Sinaisky in 2012

  

  John Storgards appointed Principal Guest Conductor of the BBC Philharmonic John Storgards is today announced as the next Principal Guest Conductor of the BBC Philharmonic in Manchester, with effect from January 2012. His first public performance in his new role will be at The Bridgewater Hall in Manchester on 16 March 2012.
  
  Storgards will perform up to four programmes with the orchestra per season, including regular appearances at the BBC Proms. His contract includes recordings for Chandos with whom the orchestra has an exclusive relationship. Their first venture will be a Sibelius Symphony cycle.

  Vassily Sinaisky, who is currently Chief Guest Conductor at the BBC Philharmonic becomes Conductor Emeritus from September 2011. Storgards has been Chief Conductor of Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra (HPO) since 2008/9 and will continue until the 2013/14 season. The appointment comes at an exciting time for the BBC Philharmonic, who move into a brand new home and state of the art studio in Salford in May, as part of the BBC’s creation of a new base in the North at MediaCityUK. The Spanish Conductor Juanjo Mena is Chief Conductor Designate, succeeding Gianandrea Noseda in September.
  
  Says John Storgards: "I am very much looking forward to intensifying my relationship with another of Europe's distinguished orchestras, the BBC Philharmonic. For me, this orchestra is a great inspiration and I feel privileged to hold this position."
  
  Says Richard Wigley, General Manager of the BBC Philharmonic: "John Storgards is that rare musician. He is both a wonderful violinist (as concertmaster and soloist) and a highly gifted international conductor. In a very short space of time, he firmly established himself as a musician's conductor with us, and we are delighted that his special relationship with the music of Sibelius will provide the anchor for his work with us in concert and on disc."
  
  Says Sinaisky: "I would like to join the staff and musicians of the BBC Philharmonic in welcoming John Storgard's new role with the orchestra. After fifteen years as Principal Guest Conductor I know what a special privilege it is to work with these wonderful musicians and I'm sure that their collaboration with John will be exceptionally fruitful. I look forward to hearing their work in coming seasons. I am also much looking forward to my future projects with the orchestra in my new role as Conductor Emeritus."
  
  Storgards is currently appearing as a guest conductor with such orchestras as Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Oslo Philharmonic, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, NDR Sinfonieorchester Hamburg, Bamberger Symphoniker and Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra. He also enjoys regular collaborations with BBC Scottish Symphony and the BBC Symphony Orchestra in London. Aside from his position at the HPO, Storgards is also the Artistic Director of the Lapland Chamber Orchestra. He was Chief Conductor of Tampere Philharmonic until spring 2009. In addition to his work as a conductor, Storgards also remains active as a solo violinist.
  
  
  

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