Conductor Alexander Shelley to Step Down from Canada's National Arts Centre in 2026

Shelley concludes an 11-year tenure to pursue other opportunities

Canada's National Arts Centre (NAC) announced that the conductor Alexander Shelley will conclude his tenure as the NAC's Music Director at the end of the 2025/26 season, by which time he will have been in the position for 11 years.

When Shelley took over the position from Pinchas Zukerman, he was 35 years old, making him the youngest conductor ever to lead the NAC. Highlights of his tenure have included the commissioning and performing more than 50 new works by Canadian composers, national and international tours that have developed the orchestra's profile, livestreams, recordings, and the creation of professional development programs that support the work of emerging artists.

Shelley is also currently Principal Associate Conductor of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. In April 2023, he was appointed Artistic and Music Director of Artis—Naples in Florida, providing artistic leadership for the Naples Philharmonic as well as the organization at large. He is also the next Artistic and Music Director of the Pacific Symphony.

The winner of the Echo Music Prize and the Deutsche Grunderpreis, Shelley has previously been Chief Conductor of the Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra. He received the Cross of the Federal Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier for his services to music in April 2023.

“Alexander Shelley is an exceptional conductor and generous collaborator who propelled the NAC Orchestra to new heights while making Canadian artists and composers central to his vision,” said NAC President and CEO Christopher Deacon. “He instinctively understood the importance of the Orchestra’s national role and fully embraced it, giving Canadian creativity a platform to shine. He has left an indelible mark on the NAC Orchestra and the many artists he has inspired during his time as Music Director. We will miss him dearly.”

“To have served the National Arts Centre and Canadian music has been the privilege of a lifetime,” said Alexander Shelley. “Working with innumerable Canadian artists through extraordinarily challenging times has enriched me more than I can express. My two sons were born in Ottawa. They are Canadians. My wife Zoe and I could not be prouder of this fact or more grateful to this country for the lifelong friendships we have forged, for the memories it has gifted us, for the unshakeable generosity of spirit shown to us, and for over a decade of unforgettable cultural and musical adventures."

"A part of our spirit will always remain here. And as for the remarkable NAC Orchestra: I began my tenure as their greatest fan and leave them with my love and admiration only deepened, profoundly so."