Matthew Halls Continues as Chief Conductor of the Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra

Matthew Halls, who was appointed Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra (TPO) in 2022, will continue in his position until the summer of 2027. His contract includes concerts, recordings, and other special projects, as well as the artistic planning and development of the orchestra.

– We are delighted to continue our musical journey with Chief Conductor Matthew Halls. A true master of style, he conducts an exceptionally wide range of repertoire, from Baroque and Romantic to contemporary works. Under Halls’ baton, our orchestra has discovered new stylistic and artistic dimensions, exemplified by remarkable concert experiences such as Handel’s Messiah Oratorio and Britten’s War Requiem, says Eija Oravuo, General Manager of the Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra.

According to Oravuo, the vibrant and diverse programme planning has been widely praised, and Halls’ international connections have brought exceptional guest artists to perform for Tampere audiences. Both Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra and its chief conductor have attracted an impressive number of enthusiastic listeners.

Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra, Matthew Halls says:

– It has been a pleasure collaborating with the TPO musicians these last two years. Among other things, we’ve worked to develop a playing style well-suited to baroque, classical and early romantic music, and personal highlights include our Beethoven project with pianist Paul Lewis and ongoing Brahms cycle. This extension to 2027 allows to further explore new repertoire together, as well as completing the Sibelius cycle which began with the Fifth Symphony in my very first concert as the Chief Conductor.

Outside of Tampere, Halls enjoys an international career which sees him regularly guest conduct Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, Houston Symphony, Warsaw Philharmonic and Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg. Forthcoming highlights include returns to Vienna Symphony, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Belgian National Orchestra, Dallas Symphony, SWR Symphony Orchestra and Tonkünstler Orchestra at the Musikverein in Vienna. He also continues to support young talent through his ongoing work with the Norwegian Conductors’ Program Dirigetløftet and its associated Nordic orchestras.

Next, Halls and the TPO will perform together at the Park Concert on 9th August 2025 in Sorsapuisto, Tampere. The concert’s soloist will be soprano Anu Komsi. This year, the traditional park concert will be part of the TPO’s 95th-anniversary programme and kick off the orchestra’s autumn season. The open-air concert is free to attend. Season series opening concert will be played on 4th September in Tampere Hall with works by Sebastian Fagerlund and Ludwig van Beethoven.

Contact

Eija Oravuo
General Manager, Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra
tel. +358 50 388 7133
email: eija.oravuo@tampere.fi