This is a non-exhaustive list of principal conductors by orchestra , classified by country and by city. The term 'principal conductor' is used here as an umbrella term to encompass such titles as:
Principal conductor
Music director
Chief conductor The term 'music director' is more common in the US and Canada, whereas 'principal conductor' or 'chief conductor' is more prevalent elsewhere. For orchestras which have both a music director and a principal conductor, such as the Royal Northern Sinfonia and Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano Giuseppe Verdi , the person with the title of music director is given preference by hierarchy.
Orchestras which choose not to have principal conductors, such as the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment , Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra , are omitted from this list. Likewise, principal conductors for opera companies are omitted, unless the orchestra of that opera company performs orchestral concerts under a separate name.
Argentina [ ] Armenia [ ] Australia [ ]
City
Orchestra
Conductor
Nationality
Adelaide Adelaide Symphony Orchestra (post vacant)
Brisbane Queensland Symphony Orchestra Johannes Fritzsch German
Canberra Canberra Symphony Orchestra Jessica Cottis Australian
Hobart Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra Eivind Aadland
Norwegian
Melbourne Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Jaime Martín (designate, effective 2023)Spanish
Perth West Australian Symphony Orchestra Asher Fisch Israeli
Sydney
Australian Chamber Orchestra Richard Tognetti Australian
Sydney
Sydney Symphony Orchestra Simone Young Australian
Austria [ ] Belgium [ ] Bolivia [ ]
City
Orchestra
Conductor
Nationality
La Paz Weimar Arancibia
Bolivian
Brazil [ ]
City
Orchestra
Conductor
Nationality
Rio de Janeiro Orquestra Sinfônica Brasileira
Roberto Minczuk
Brazilian
São Paulo Orquestra Sinfônica do Estado de São Paulo Thierry Fischer Swiss
Ponta Grossa Orquestra Sinfônica de Ponta Grossa
Jayme Amatnecks Brazilian
Brasilia
Orquestra Sinfônica de Brasília - OSTNCS
Cláudio Cohen
Brazilian
Canada [ ] Chile [ ]
City
Orchestra
Conductor
Nationality
Santiago National Symphony Orchestra of Chile
Rodolfo Saglimbeni Venezuelan
China [ ] Colombia [ ] Czech Republic [ ] Denmark [ ] Finland [ ] France [ ]
City
Orchestra
Conductor
Nationality
Bordeaux Orchestre National Bordeaux Aquitaine Paul Daniel British
Lille Orchestre national de Lille Alexandre Bloch
French
Lyon Orchestre National de Lyon Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider Danish
Nantes Orchestre national des Pays de la Loire Pascal Rophé French
Paris Ensemble Intercontemporain Matthias Pintscher German
Paris Orchestre de Chambre de Paris
Lars Vogt German
Paris Orchestre de Paris Klaus Mäkelä Finnish
Paris Orchestre National de France Cristian Măcelaru Romanian
Paris Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France Mikko Franck Finnish
Rennes Orchestre Symphonique de Bretagne
Grant Llewellyn British
Strasbourg Orchestre philharmonique de Strasbourg Uzbek
Toulouse Orchestre national du Capitole de Toulouse Tugan Sokhiev Russian-Ossetian
Germany [ ]
City
Orchestra
Conductor
Nationality
Bamberg Bamberg Symphony Jakub Hrůša Czech
Berlin Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Kirill Petrenko Russian
Berlin Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra Vladimir Jurowski Russian
Berlin Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin Robin Ticciati British
Berlin Konzerthausorchester Berlin Christoph Eschenbach German
Berlin Staatskapelle Berlin Daniel Barenboim Argentine
Bremen Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen Paavo Järvi Estonian
Cologne Gürzenich Orchestra Cologne François-Xavier Roth French
Cologne WDR Funkhausorchester Frank Strobel
German
Cologne WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne Cristian Măcelaru Romanian
Dortmund Dortmunder Philharmoniker Gabriel Feltz
German
Dresden Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra Marek Janowski Polish
Dresden Staatskapelle Dresden Christian Thielemann German
Essen Essen Philharmonic
Tomáš Netopil Czech
Frankfurt Frankfurter Opern- und Museumsorchester Sebastian Weigle German
Frankfurt hr-Sinfonieorchester Alain Altinoglu French
Halle Staatskapelle Halle (post vacant)
Hamburg Hamburger Symphoniker Sylvain Cambreling French
Hamburg NDR Symphony Orchestra Alan Gilbert American
Hannover NDR Radiophilharmonie Andrew Manze British
Heidelberg Philharmonisches Orchester Heidelberg
Elias Grandy
German
Herford Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie Yves Abel Canadian
Hilchenbach Philharmonie Südwestfalen
Charles Olivieri-Munroe
Maltese
Jena Jenaer Philharmonie Simon Gaudenz
Swiss
Karlsruhe Badische Staatskapelle Justin Brown
British
Koblenz Staatsorchester Rheinische Philharmonie
Garry Walker British
Konstanz Südwestdeutsche Philharmonie Konstanz Finnish
Ludwigshafen am Rhein Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz Michael Francis British
Leipzig Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra Andris Nelsons Latvian
Leipzig MDR Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra Dennis Russell Davies American
Lübeck Philharmonisches Orchester der Hansestadt Lübeck
Ryusuke Numajiri
Japanese
Munich Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra Sir Simon Rattle (designate, effective 2023)
British
Munich Bavarian State Orchestra Vladimir Jurowski Russian
Munich Munich Chamber Orchestra Alexander Liebreich
German
Munich Munich Philharmonic Orchestra Valery Gergiev Russian
Munich Munich Radio Orchestra Ivan Repušić
Croatian
Munich Munich Symphony Orchestra Kevin John Edusei German
Nuremberg Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra Kahchun Wong Singaporean
Nuremberg Staatsphilharmonie Nürnberg Joana Mallwitz German
Recklinghausen Neue Philharmonie Westfalen
Rasmus Baumann
German
Stuttgart Stuttgarter Philharmoniker Dan Ettinger Israeli
Stuttgart SWR Symphonieorchester Teodor Currentzis Greek-Russian
Weimar Staatskapelle Weimar Dominik Beykirch
German
Wuppertal Sinfonieorchesters Wuppertal
Patrick Hahn Austrian
Hong Kong [ ] Hungary [ ]
City
Orchestra
Conductor
Nationality
Budapest Budapest Festival Orchestra Iván Fischer Hungarian
Budapest András Keller Hungarian
Budapest Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra Pinchas Steinberg Israeli
Budapest MÁV Symphony Orchestra
Péter Csaba
Hungarian
Miskolc Symphony Orchestra of Miskolc
Tamás Gál
Hungarian
Iceland [ ] Ireland [ ] Israel [ ]
City
Orchestra
Conductor
Nationality
Jerusalem Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra Steven Sloane American
Tel Aviv Israel Chamber Orchestra Ariel Zuckermann
Israeli
Tel Aviv Israel Philharmonic Orchestra Lahav Shani Israeli
Italy [ ] Japan [ ] Latvia [ ] Liechtenstein [ ]
City
Orchestra
Conductor
Nationality
Nendeln
Sinfonieorchester Liechtenstein
Stefan Sanderling German
Vaduz
Orchester Liechtenstein-Werdenberg
Stefan Susana
Austrian
Luxembourg [ ]
City
Orchestra
Conductor
Nationality
Luxembourg City Luxembourg Chamber Orchestra
Corinna Niemeyer
German
Luxembourg City Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra Gustavo Gimeno Spanish
Macau [ ]
City
Orchestra
Conductor
Nationality
Macau Macau Orchestra Lü Jia Chinese
Malaysia [ ] Netherlands [ ] New Zealand [ ]
City
Orchestra
Conductor
Nationality
Auckland Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra Giordano Bellincampi Danish
Christchurch Christchurch Symphony Orchestra Benjamin Northey Australian
Wellington New Zealand Symphony Orchestra Edo de Waart Dutch
Wellington Orchestra Wellington Marc Taddei
American
Norway [ ]
City
Orchestra
Conductor
Nationality
Bergen Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra Edward Gardner British
Kristiansand Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra Nathalie Stutzmann French
Oslo Norwegian Radio Orchestra Czech
Oslo Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra Klaus Mäkelä Finnish
Stavanger Stavanger Symphony Orchestra Andris Poga Latvian
Trondheim Trondheim Symphony Orchestra Han-Na Chang Korean
Paraguay [ ] Philippines [ ] Poland [ ] Portugal [ ] Russia [ ]
City
Orchestra
Conductor
Nationality
Moscow Moscow City Symphony Orchestra Dmitri Jurowski Russian
Moscow National Philharmonic of Russia Vladimir Spivakov Russian
Moscow Russian National Orchestra Mikhail Pletnev Russian
Moscow State Academic Symphony Orchestra of the Russian Federation Vasily Petrenko Russian
Saint Petersburg Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra Valery Gergiev Russian
Saint Petersburg Saint Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra Yuri Temirkanov Russian
Singapore [ ]
City
Orchestra
Conductor
Nationality
Singapore Singapore Symphony Orchestra Hans Graf Austrian
Slovakia [ ] Slovenia [ ] South Korea [ ]
City
Orchestra
Conductor
Nationality
Bucheon Bucheon Philharmonic Orchestra Lim Hun Joung
South Korean
Busan Busan Philharmonic Orchestra
(post vacant)
Daegu Daegu Philharmonic Orchestra
Julian Kovatchev
Bulgarian
Gyeonggi Gyeonggi Philharmonic Orchestra
Shi-Yeon Sung South Korean
Seongnam Seongnam Philharmonic Orchestra
Gum Nanse
South Korean
Incheon Incheon Philharmonic Orchestra
Chung Chiyong
South Korean
Seoul KBS Symphony Orchestra Yoel Levi Israeli
Seoul Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra Osmo Vänskä Finnish
Suwon Suwon Philharmonic Orchestra
Kim Daejin
South Korean
Spain [ ]
City
Orchestra
Conductor
Nationality
A Coruña Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia
Dima Slobodeniouk Russian
Barcelona Barcelona Symphony and Catalonia National Orchestra Kazushi Ono Japanese
Donostia-San Sebastian Basque National Orchestra
Robert Trevino
American
Granada City of Granada Orchestra Andrea Marcon Italian
Madrid Spanish National Orchestra David Afkham German
Navarra Orquesta Sinfónica de Navarra
Antoni Wit Polish
Oviedo Orquesta Sinfónica Del Principado De Asturias
Rossen Milanov
Bulgarian
Valencia Orquesta de Valencia Yaron Traub Israeli
Zaragoza ORA Orquesta Reino de Aragón
Ricardo Casero
Spanish
Sweden [ ] Switzerland [ ]
City
Orchestra
Conductor
Nationality
Basel Sinfonieorchester Basel Ivor Bolton British
Bern Bern Symphony Orchestra Mario Venzago Swiss
Geneva Orchestre de la Suisse Romande Jonathan Nott British
Lausanne Sinfonietta de Lausanne
Alexander Mayer
German
Lucerne Lucerne Symphony Orchestra Michael Sanderling German
Winterthur Orchester Musikkollegium Winterthur Thomas Zehetmair Austrian
Zurich Philharmonia Zürich
Gianandrea Noseda Italian
Zurich Tonhalle Orchester Zürich Paavo Järvi Estonian
Zurich Zurich Chamber Orchestra Daniel Hope British
Taiwan [ ]
City
Orchestra
Conductor
Nationality
Taipei Taiwan Philharmonic Jun Märkl German
United Kingdom [ ]
City
Orchestra
Conductor
Nationality
Bangor, County Down Camerata Ireland Barry Douglas British
Belfast Ulster Orchestra Daniele Rustioni Italian
Birmingham City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla Lithuanian
Bournemouth Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra Kirill Karabits Ukrainian
Cambridge Academy of Ancient Music Laurence Cummings British
Cardiff BBC National Orchestra of Wales Ryan Bancroft American
Derby Sinfonia ViVA Frank Zielhorst
Dutch
Edinburgh Scottish Chamber Orchestra Maxim Emelyanychev Russian
Gateshead Royal Northern Sinfonia Portuguese
Glasgow BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra Thomas Dausgaard Danish
Glasgow Royal Scottish National Orchestra Thomas Søndergård Danish
Leeds Orchestra of Opera North
Garry Walker British
Liverpool Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Domingo Hindoyan Venezuelan
London Academy of St Martin in the Fields Joshua Bell American
London Aurora Orchestra Nicholas Collon British
London BBC Concert Orchestra Bramwell Tovey British
London BBC Symphony Orchestra Sakari Oramo Finnish
London City of London Sinfonia Stephen Layton British
London The English Concert Harry Bicket British
London London Chamber Orchestra Christopher Warren-Green British
London London Mozart Players Gérard Korsten
South African
London London Philharmonic Orchestra Edward Gardner British
London London Symphony Orchestra Sir Simon Rattle
British
London Philharmonia Orchestra Santtu-Matias Rouvali Finnish
London Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Vasily Petrenko Russian
Manchester The Hallé Sir Mark Elder
British
Manchester Manchester Camerata Gábor Takács-Nagy Hungarian
Manchester Northern Chamber Orchestra Nicholas Ward
British
Salford BBC Philharmonic Omer Meir Wellber Israeli
Stratford-upon-Avon Orchestra of the Swan Kenneth Woods
American
Worcester English Symphony Orchestra
Kenneth Woods
American
United States [ ]
City
Orchestra
Conductor
Nationality
Akron, Ohio Akron Symphony Orchestra Christopher Wilkins American
Albany, Georgia Albany Symphony Orchestra
Claire Fox Hillard
American
Albany, New York Albany Symphony
David Alan Miller American
Allentown, PA Allentown Symphony Orchestra Diane Wittry American
Amarillo Amarillo Symphony Orchestra
Jacomo Rafael Bairos
Portuguese
Anchorage, Alaska Anchorage Symphony Orchestra
(post vacant)
Athens, Georgia Athens Symphony Susan Dinwiddie
American
Atlanta Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Nathalie Stutzmann (designate, effective 2022)French
Baltimore Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (post vacant)
Berkeley Joseph Young American
Birmingham, Alabama Alabama Symphony Orchestra Venezuelan
Boston Boston Symphony Orchestra Andris Nelsons Latvian
Buffalo, New York Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra JoAnn Falletta American
Burlington, Vermont Vermont Symphony Orchestra Jaime Laredo American
Charlotte, North Carolina Charlotte Symphony Orchestra Christopher Warren-Green British
Chicago Chicago Symphony Orchestra Riccardo Muti Italian
Cincinnati Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Louis Langrée French
Cleveland Cleveland Orchestra Franz Welser-Möst Austrian
Columbus, Ohio Columbus Symphony Orchestra Rossen Milanov Bulgarian
Costa Mesa, California Pacific Symphony Carl St.Clair American
Dallas Dallas Symphony Orchestra Fabio Luisi Italian
Denver Colorado Symphony Orchestra Brett Mitchell American
Detroit Detroit Symphony Orchestra Jader Bignamini Italian
Durham Durham Symphony Orchestra
William Curry American
Fort Worth, Texas Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Robert Spano (designate, effective 2022)American
Fort Lauderdale, Florida South Florida Philharmonic
Donald Covert
American
[Grand Rapids, Michigan]]
Grand Rapids Symphony
Marcelo Lehninger
Brazilian
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra Stuart Malina
American
Hartford, Connecticut Hartford Symphony Orchestra
Carolyn Kuan American
Houston Houston Symphony Orchestra Andrés Orozco-Estrada Colombian
Indianapolis Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra Krzysztof Urbanski Polish
Jacksonville, Florida Jacksonville Symphony Courtney Lewis British
Kansas City, Missouri Kansas City Symphony Michael Stern American
Little Rock, Arkansas Arkansas Symphony Orchestra Philip Mann
American
Los Angeles Hollywood Symphony Orchestra John Beal American
Los Angeles Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra Jaime Martín Spanish
Los Angeles Los Angeles Philharmonic Gustavo Dudamel Venezuelan
Louisville, Kentucky The Louisville Orchestra
Teddy Abrams American
Memphis, Tennessee Memphis Symphony Orchestra Robert Moody
American
Milwaukee Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra Ken-David Masur American
Minneapolis Minnesota Orchestra Osmo Vänskä Finnish
Naples, Florida Naples Philharmonic Orchestra
Andrey Boreyko Russian
Nashville Nashville Symphony Orchestra Giancarlo Guerrero Costa Rican
New Orleans, Louisiana Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra Carlos Miguel Prieto Mexican
New York City American Composers Orchestra (post vacant)
New York City The MET Orchestra Yannick Nézet-Séguin Canadian
New York City New York Philharmonic Jaap van Zweden Dutch
New York City Orchestra of St. Luke's Canadian
Newark, New Jersey New Jersey Symphony Orchestra Xian Zhang Chinese
Norfolk, Virginia Virginia Symphony Orchestra Eric Jacobsen American
Omaha Omaha Symphony Orchestra
Thomas Wilkins American
Philadelphia Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia Dirk Brossé Belgian
Philadelphia Philadelphia Orchestra Yannick Nézet-Séguin Canadian
Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix Symphony Orchestra Tito Muñoz American
Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Manfred Honeck Austrian
Portland, Oregon Oregon Symphony David Danzmayr Austrian
Raleigh, North Carolina North Carolina Symphony Grant Llewellyn British
Reno, Nevada Reno Philharmonic Orchestra Laura Jackson
American
Rochester, New York Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra Andreas Delfs German
St. Louis Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra Stéphane Denève French
Salt Lake City Utah Symphony Thierry Fischer Swiss
San Antonio San Antonio Symphony Sebastian Lang-Lessing German
San Diego San Diego Symphony Rafael Payare Venezuelan
San Francisco San Francisco Philharmonic
Jessica Bejarano American
San Francisco San Francisco Symphony Esa-Pekka Salonen Finnish
Sarasota, Florida Sarasota Orchestra Bramwell Tovey (designate, effective 2022)British
Seattle Seattle Symphony Orchestra Thomas Dausgaard Danish
Tampa, Florida The Florida Orchestra Michael Francis British
Toledo, Ohio Toledo Symphony Orchestra Alain Trudel Canadian
Virginia Beach, Virginia American
Washington, D.C. National Symphony Orchestra Gianandrea Noseda Italian
Wilmington, Delaware Delaware Symphony Orchestra David Amado
American
Venezuela [ ] Vietnam [ ]
Articulation Beat / Meter Cadence / Resolution Cue Dynamics Phrasing Tempo
References [ ] 