Germany's Munich Symphony Orchestra Appoints New Chief Conductor

French-Swiss conductor Joseph Bastian will assume the role as of the orchestra’s 2023/24 concert season

Alongside his role as chief conductor, Joseph Bastian will serve as the Munich Symphony Orchestra’s artistic director, also beginning in 2023. He will conduct a subscription concert in April 2023 before assuming his new role in the summer.

Bastian is currently music director of France’s Orchestre Dijon Bourgogne and principal conductor of the Asian Youth Orchestra. His guest conducting highlights include the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, Sichuan Symphony Orchestra of China, SWR Symphonieorchester, Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie, and Dresdner Philharmoniker, among others. 

Born in France to a French-Swiss family, Bastian started his music career studying the cello, trombone, and composition. A graduate of Germany’s Hochschule für Musik Saar studying trombone, he later performed in the Munich Philharmonic’s Orchestra Academy and the Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra with conductors Claudio Abbado and Pierre Boulez. 

After serving as principal bass trombone in the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks (BRSO), he began focusing on his conducting career, working as an assistant conductor to the late Mariss Jansons, as well as to Daniel Harding and Vladimir Jurowski. His other mentors included Bernard Haitink, Jorma Panula, and David Zinman.

In 2016, Bastian reached international acclaim when he stepped in for Robin Ticciati to conduct the BRSO in three subscription concerts. Bastian’s prizes include the 2016 Neeme Järvi Prize and the 2019 Eugen Jochum Prize for Young Conductors.

“To have been elected Chief Conductor by the musicians of the Munich Symphony Orchestra means [a lot] to me,” Bastian said. “I’m delighted to be able to work in my chosen hometown and with such versatile and highly motivated musicians to bring ‘the sound of the city’ to the heart of society. Many thanks also to the Board, the Directors, and the entire team for the trust they have placed in me.”

“We are very pleased to present Joseph Bastian, a versatile and highly motivated artist, as our new Chief Conductor,” added Board Chairman, Ulrich Wastl. “He has been closely associated with Munich’s cultural life for many years, much like the Munich Symphony Orchestra has been for more than three quarters of a century. He is also an ideal, forward- thinking choice when it comes to the Munich Symphony Orchestra’s numerous regional and international initiatives.”

“We are very excited about the artistic collaboration with Joseph Bastian, with whom we [will] present a concert on April 19 this season and look forward to many joint concert experiences in the coming seasons,” said the orchestra’s intendant Tilman Dost. “It’s certainly an exciting symbiosis with lots of innovative power and a thrilling musical vision.”