Ryan Wigglesworth is the Hallé’s new Principal Guest Conductor

James McCarthy
Wednesday, June 4, 2014

The conductor, composer and pianist makes his relationship with the orchestra official from September 2015

Ryan Wigglesworth (photo by Benjamin Ealovega)
Ryan Wigglesworth (photo by Benjamin Ealovega)

Ryan Wigglesworth has been appointed the Hallé’s Principal Guest Conductor. The conductor, composer and pianist, who first worked with the Hallé in 2010 on an NMC Birtwistle recording (which won a Gramophone Award in the Contemporary category), will succeed Markus Stenz. His appointment is for three years, beginning on September 1 next year.

Wigglesworth made his Hallé concert debut in December 2013, replacing an indisposed colleague to conduct Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique. There followed a concert of Britten, Debussy and more Berlioz in February this year. Before he takes up his new role, Wigglesworth will work with the Hallé on a CD of his own music, again on NMC, in July.

As part of the principal guest conductorship, Wigglesworth will conduct at least five concerts in Manchester per season; he will also work on further recording projects and make appearances as a pianist, including in a chamber music capacity with fellow Hallé musicians.

‘I’m thrilled to be joining the Hallé as Principal Guest Conductor,’ Wigglesworth said. ‘My first experience of live orchestral music as a child was listening to the Hallé at Sheffield City Hall. In more recent years I’ve followed their astonishing work with Sir Mark [Elder] with great pleasure and admiration, and I look forward enormously to developing my own relationship with the orchestra over the coming years.’

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