The Philadelphia Orchestra Appoints Principal Guest Conductor

American conductor Marin Alsop will assume the role for an initial three years as of the 2024/25 season

In her new role, Marin Alsop will lead the Philadelphia Orchestra in its subscription concerts, special events, annual summer residencies, and national and international tours.

Her initial three-year term as principal guest conductor will begin in September 2024, starting with the orchestra’s 2024 tour of China. Following that, she will conduct the orchestra for two to three weeks per season.

Alsop made her Philadelphia Orchestra debut in 1990, and has since performed 32 concerts with them, including at their summer venues in Colorado and New York, as well as at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts.

The first woman to lead a major orchestra in America, Austria, and Britain, Alsop is currently in her fifth season as chief conductor of the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra.

She also hold the positions of chief conductor of the Polish National Radio Symphony and the Ravinia Festival, principal guest conductor of London’s Philharmonia Orchestra, and music director laureate of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, where she held a 14-year tenure as music director.

The first and only conductor to receive a MacArthur Fellowship, she is also recipient of the World Economic Forum’s Crystal Award, and recently made history as the first female conductor of the BBC’s Last Night of the Proms. 

In 2021, a documentary about her life, The Conductor, debuted at New York’s Tribeca Film Festival and won the Naples International Film Festival’s Focus on the Arts Award.

“Marin Alsop is a renowned and revolutionary figure in the world of classical music, and one of the foremost conductors of our time,” said Philadelphia Orchestra’s music and artistic director Yannick Nézet-Séguin in the press release. “[She] will be a tremendous partner as we continue to forge a bold and inclusive future for The Philadelphia Orchestra. I look forward to experiencing her innovative and inspiring approach with this legendary ensemble of musicians.”

“Working with the incredible musicians of The Philadelphia Orchestra has always been a musical highlight for me,” Alsop said. “Having the opportunity now to build on that relationship, and to join the spectacular artistic team headed by visionary conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin, is a dream come true. The Philadelphia Orchestra is committed to changing the future of classical music. I am proud to join this exceptional organization.”

“We are fervent believers in the transformative power of music to bring joy, create community, and effect change — sentiments shared and exemplified by Marin Alsop throughout her career,” added the orchestra’s president and CEO Matías Tarnopolsky. “I am delighted to see these possibilities unfold as she partners with the extraordinary musicians of The Philadelphia Orchestra.”