BBC Philharmonic Orchestra Hires New Principal Guest Conductor 

Anja Bihlmaier will begin her tenure at the start of the orchestra’s 2024/25 season

The German conductor Anja Bihlmaier will join the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra as its next Principal Guest Conductor, effective as of September 2024. 

In her new role, she will work closely with BBC Philharmonic’s Director Adam Szabo to plan and deliver concerts, collaborative projects, recordings, and broadcasts for audiences in and around Manchester, as well as on BBC Radio 3.

Bihlmaier has served as Chief Conductor of the Residentie Orkest since August 2021. Following her BBC Proms debut in 2023, she will return this August to conduct the BBC Philharmonic, as well as Glyndebourne’s production of Carmen.

In the upcoming season, she will conduct the Munich Philharmonic, NDR Elbphilharmonie Bergen Philharmonic, Swedish Radio Symphony, Seattle and Toronto symphonies, and Spanish National Orchestra. 

Her notable debuts in the past season have included those with the London Philharmonic, Wiener Symphoniker, National Symphony Orchestra Washington, Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, Mahler Chamber, Salzburg Mozartwoche, and the Sydney and Melbourne Symphony orchestras.

Upcoming performances include conducting the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra at the BBC Proms in Prom 26, in a program of works by Beethoven, Brahms, and Sarah Gibson, featuring violinist Tobias Feldmann in Beethoven’s Violin Concerto in D major.

“I am thrilled to join the BBC Philharmonic team as Principal Guest Conductor, alongside such a respected colleague as John Storgårds,” Bihlmaier said in the press release. “From our first concert at Bridgewater Hall, playing Shostakovich and Dvorak, I felt a special bond and mutual trust with the musicians. I love their dedication, their virtuosity and willingness to experiment, their sense of humor and most importantly their great passion for the music, and how they bring it to life for their audience. Our Proms concert last year and Bruckner 7 in Manchester were unforgettable highlights. I look forward to continuing our journey, hoping to achieve something special in the vibrant city of Manchester and at the BBC Proms.”

“We’re thrilled that Anja Bihlmaier is joining the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra as our Principal Guest Conductor,” Szabo added. “She’s a rare talent – courageous and daring, meticulous, and brilliantly connected to the musical drama of every work she tackles. Our players have loved working with her and getting to know her, and we can’t wait to see where this next chapter takes us.”