A new season – and a new era!

When Ryan Bancroft takes on Sven-David Sandström’s masterpiece The High Mass in September, it will be his first performance as new Chief Conductor of the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. When the successor of Sakari Oramo was announced in December 2021, it echoed in the entire world of music. The young American Ryan Bancroft has, already at 33 years of age, experienced a number of great successes and it is an inspiring time that awaits. ”Dancing conductor bodes well for the philharmonic”, wrote Svenska Dagbladet following the Nobel Prize Concert of 2021. Bancroft is a sensational talent.

Stefan Forsberg, Executive and Artistic Director of the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic comments: 

– We are very excited to see what Ryan brings to the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra and to the music scene in our vibrant and beautiful city. Of course, Ryan stands deeply rooted in our beloved musical tradition, but his artistic curiosity is equally important. Every serious artist of today needs to have a spotlight on their forehead, eagerly searching for new artistic concepts to present to our audience – Ryan’s spotlight shines brighter than most others! With Ryan, we look forward to another golden era in the glorious 121-year history of the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra.

Ryan Bancroft:

– I am delighted to begin my position as Chief Conductor of the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. My focus and devotion is on the people who love music and the people who play it, and for that, we have an incredibly exciting season ahead. Together with the phenomenal artistic team of the orchestra, we have crafted a season that will surely thrill, enchant, and invigorate us all. Above all, I am excited to share unforgettable moments with our audience. What’s more, we are just getting started!”

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As previously mentioned, Ryan Bancroft opens the concert season 2023/24 with The High Mass – one of the Swedish composer Sven-David Sandström’s most celebrated works. It will be the first time the work is performed at Konserthuset Stockholm. Bancroft’s artistic curiosity is indeed reflected in his inaugural season as Chief Conductor of the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. Among the programmes one finds John Adam’s imaginative electric violin concerto The Dharma at Big Sur and the world premiere of Swedish composer Daniel Börtz’ Sinfonia 15, a piece dedicated to the musicians of the orchestra. Bancroft also conducts the European premiere of Anders Hillborg’s The Max Concerto – Piano Concerto No. 2, with Emanuel Ax as soloist. 

Ryan in action? On Konserthuset Play there’s a section of concert films with Ryan Bancroft and the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra  (opens in a new window).

Ryan Bancroft, a short biography

More on the upcoming season

As usual, it is a busy season that is offered at Konserthuset Stockholm, and in addition to around 100 concerts with the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, one finds chamber music, baroque music with the popular Orpheus Baroque Stockholm, family and school concerts as well as jazz and global music – for example Joshua Redman Group and Salif Keita.

The concert season also features a large number of guesting orchestras from Sweden and the rest of Europe, including the Barcelona Symphony Orchestra and the Luxembourg Philharmonic, both performing for the first time at Konserthuset Stockholm, while for example the Freiburger Barockorchester makes a return.

One of the world's most played contemporary composers today is German Jörg Widmann, who is at the centre of attention in the International Composer’s Festival in November. Widmann also participates as conductor, clarinetist and pianist. The Composer Weekend in April 2024 is dedicated to Swedish Lisa Streich, an original and imaginative composer who has so far received more attention in the rest of Europe than at home.

Among the conductors who will otherwise work with the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra in 2023/24, one should mention the two former chief conductors, now Conductor Laureates: Sakari Oramo and Alan Gilbert. In addition, there are several well-known conductor coming to the orchestra, such as Andris Nelsons, Simone Young, Jukka-Pekka Saraste and Manfred Honeck. There are also a number of Swedish conductors, such as Emil Eliasson, Sofia Winiarski, Anton Holmer and Fredrik Burstedt.

Of the many top soloists, one finds the mezzo-soprano Ann Hallenberg, the pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason, the violinists Alina Ibragimova and Joshua Bell, the trumpeter Håkan Hardenberger as well as the Icelandic phenomenon Víkingur Ólafsson – who performs the Goldberg Variations by Bach at his piano recital. Something to look forward to is of course the world premiere in May 2024 of Swedish composer Britta Byström's new violin concerto, with none other than Dutch Janine Jansen as soloist. ”Writing for Janine Jansen has long been a dream of mine, and the work is inspired by her expressive playing”, says Byström.

The star-studded Nobel Prize Concert features conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen and violinist Julia Fischer as soloist in Brahms’ beloved violin concerto. 

The entire season 2023/24 has been released on Konserthuset Stockholm’s web site.