Kent Nagano has been appointed principal guest conductor and artistic advisor of the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra for a three-year term. He will embark on his duties as artistic advisor immediately, working with the orchestra and administration over the coming months. As principal guest conductor he will spend six to seven weeks each season from autumn 2013 with the orchestra, in some part replacing Gustavo Dudamel, former Gothenburg Symphony principal conductor, who now becomes honorary conductor.

‘The Gothenburg Symphony is a remarkable orchestra, not only technically brilliant but an ensemble possessing profound sound-colour, personality and style which reflects its important and deep Nordic traditions,’ said Nagano. ‘I am delighted and honoured to have been asked to join the long list of distinguished conductors reflecting the orchestra’s heritage including Jean Sibelius, Carl Nielsen, Wilhelm Furtwängler, Pierre Monteux and Herbert von Karajan, as well as principal conductors Wilhelm Stenhammar, Charles Dutoit, Neeme Järvi and recently, Gustavo Dudamel.’

Nagano is no stranger to Gothenburg, having first conducted the orchestra almost 20 years ago, and collaborating on an album of Swedish contemporary music featuring Anne Sofie von Otter for Deutsche Grammophon in 2003. He is also music director of the Bayerische Staatsoper Munich and Orchestre symphonique de Montréal.