Edward Gardner

Chief Conductor of the Bergen Philharmonic since October 2015, Edward Gardner has led the orchestra on multiple international tours, including performances in Berlin, Munich and Amsterdam, and at the BBC Proms and Edinburgh International Festival. Edward was recently appointed Principal Conductor Designate of the London Philharmonic Orchestra, with his tenure commencing in September 2021.

In demand as a guest conductor, the previous two seasons saw Edward debut with the New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, Wiener Symphoniker and the Royal Opera House in a new production of ťa Kabanová; while returns included engagements with the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Philharmonia Orchestra, Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala di Milano and Royal Opera House (Werther).

The 2020/21 season sees Edward open the London Philharmonic Orchestra’s season, returning later for more concerts at the Royal Festival Hall and a tour of Germany and the UK. Highlights with the Bergen Philharmonic include Verdi’s Macbeth in concert, undertaking a European tour, and celebrating Beethoven’s 250th anniversary with a two-week festival. Guest conducting highlights, and projects that will be rearranged due to COVID-19, include performances with the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Cleveland Orchestra, Chicago and Montreal Symphony Orchestras, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin and Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra.

He also continues his longstanding collaborations with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, where he was Principal Guest Conductor from 2010-16, and the BBC Symphony Orchestra, whom he has conducted at both the First and Last Night of the BBC Proms.

Music Director of English National Opera for ten years (2006-15), Edward has an ongoing relationship with New York’s Metropolitan Opera where he has conducted productions of La damnation de Faust, CarmenDon GiovanniDer Rosenkavalier and Werther. Elsewhere, he has conducted at La Scala, Chicago Lyric Opera, Glyndebourne Festival Opera and Opéra National de Paris.

A passionate supporter of young talent, Edward founded the Hallé Youth Orchestra in 2002 and regularly conducts the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain. He has a close relationship with the Juilliard School of Music, and with the Royal Academy of Music who appointed him their inaugural Sir Charles Mackerras Conducting Chair in 2014.

Born in Gloucester in 1974, Edward was educated at Cambridge and the Royal Academy of Music. He went on to become Assistant Conductor of The Hallé and Music Director of Glyndebourne Touring Opera. His many accolades include being named Royal Philharmonic Society Award Conductor of the Year (2008), an Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Opera (2009) and receiving an OBE for Services to Music in the Queen’s Birthday Honours (2012).