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.’