Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra appointed Matthew Halls as its next Chief Conductor

Matthew Halls has been appointed the next Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra. He will take over in autumn 2023, on the completion of duties of the present, long-standing Chief Conductor Santtu-Matias Rouvali.

“I am humbled and thrilled to accept this position and I look forward to our many exciting collaborations over the coming seasons. Within minutes of our first rehearsal, I was captivated by the orchestra’s extraordinary musicianship, their inspiring work ethic and energising desire to explore. It will be a great privilege to serve the orchestra and participate to the vibrant cultural life in Tampere,” says Matthew.

Next month sees Matthew return to Tampere with Bruckner’s Seventh Symphony, following his debut earlier this year. This British conductor is also continuing his long-standing partnerships with the Mozarteumorchester Salzburg, Houston Symphony and Indianapolis Symphony this season, and will debut with Orchestre de Chambre de Paris.

Matthew regularly guest-conducts the Cleveland Orchestra, Finnish Radio Symphony, Seattle Symphony, Wiener Symphoniker, Iceland Symphony, Toronto Symphony and Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra. Recent highlights include Mahler’s “Resurrection” Symphony in Toronto, the US premiere of James MacMillan’s Fourth Symphony with Pittsburgh Symphony and his Chicago Symphony debut.

“The Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra is excited to begin its journey with Matthew Halls who is a wonderfully versatile and inspiring conductor and musician. He will be our 12th chief conductor and the third non-Finn in this position. I am sure Matthew and our musicians will create unforgettable musical experiences for our audiences”, says Eija Oravuo, General Manager, Tampere Philharmonic.

With a background in period-performance, Matthew was one of the first to guest-conduct Nikolaus Harnoncourt’s Concentus Musicus Wien. His discography includes Bach’s Harpsichord Concertos, the premiere recording of Handel’s Parnasso in Festa and Bach’s Easter and Ascension Oratorios.

Contact:

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