The Royal Northern Sinfonia have announced that the conductor replacing Thomas Zehetmair as their Music Director will be Lars Vogt. Zehetmair's final concert as Music Director will be at Milton Court on June 13.

This will be Vogt's first professional conducting appointment, his career thus far having primarily been that of piano soloist and chamber musician. He will initially be installed as Music Director Designate before formally assuming the role of Music Director for the 2015/16 season. Zehetmair will become the Sinfonia's Conductor Laureate.

Vogt won second prize at the Leeds International Piano Competition in 1990 (Artur Pizarro won first prize) and has previous conducting experience with the Zurich Chamber Orchestra, Arte del Mondo and the Cologne Chamber Orchestra.

In Gramophone's January 2014 issue, Vogt's recording of Schumann's Violin Sonatas (with Christian Tetzlaff) was named Recording of the Month, with critic Harriet Smith noting that 'Vogt makes the filigree piano-writing sound effortless – which is no mean achievement'. Last year, Vogt's recording of Mozart's Violin Sonatas Nos 27, 32 and 35 was an Editor's Choice.