Chief Conductor Ryan Bancroft

The award-winning American conductor Ryan Bancroft is Chief Conductor of the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra.

Ryan Bancroft grew up in Los Angeles and first came to international attention in April 2018 when he won both First Prize and Audience Prize at the prestigious Malko Competition for Young Conductors in Copenhagen.

Since 2021 Bancroft has been Principal Conductor of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. Following his first visit to work with the Tapiola Sinfonietta in Finland Bancroft was invited to become their Artist in Association from the 21/22 season onwards. In 2021, Bancroft was announced as Chief Conductor Designate of the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. He takes up the Chief Conductor position in September 2023.

Since winning the Malko Competition Bancroft has made debuts with a number of leading European orchestras including the Philharmonia, London Philharmonic, BBC Symphony, City of Birmingham Symphony, Orchestre Nationale du Capitole de Toulouse, Danish National Symphony, Rotterdam Philharmonic and Rai Torino. He has conducted all major Swedish orchestras, including Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Malmö Symphony Orchestra and Gothenburg Symphony.

In North America he has worked with the Toronto Symphony,  Baltimore Symphony, Houston Symphony, Dallas Symphony and Minnesota Symphony. The 22/23 season also sees Bancroft make his debut at Suntory Hall with the New Japan Philharmonic and Midori, at the Royal Festival Hall with the Philharmonia and Sir Stephen Hough, and at the Concertgebouw with the Netherlands Philharmonic. 

Bancroft has a passion for contemporary music and has performed with Amsterdam’s acclaimed Nieuw Ensemble, the French Ensemble Intercontemporain, assisted Pierre Boulez in a performance of his Sur Incises in Los Angeles, premiered works by Sofia Gubaidulina, John Cage, James Tenney, Anne LeBaron, and he has worked closely with improvisers such as Wadada Leo Smith and Charlie Haden. 

Bancroft studied trumpet at the California Institute of the Arts, alongside additional studies in harp, flute, cello, and Ghanaian music and dance. He then went on to receive an MMus in orchestral conducting from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. While studying in Scotland he played trumpet with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra on many occasions.

He continued his conducting studies in the Netherlands and is a graduate of the prestigious Nationale Master Orkestdirectie run jointly by the Conservatorium van Amsterdam and the Royal Conservatoire of The Hague. As a student, his main mentors were Edward Carroll, Kenneth Montgomery, Ed Spanjaard and Jac van Steen.

A number of filmed concerts with Ryan Bancroft and the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra are available on Konserthuset Play. 

”Dancing conductor bodes well for the philharmonic”, wrote Svenska Dagbladet following the Nobel Prize Concert of 2021. Experience concert films with Ryan Bancroft and the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra.

Concerts

  • Genre: Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra

    A beloved symphony and a violin concerto of love. Executive and Artistic Director Stefan Forsberg hosts and introduces the concert.

    Thursday 16 November 2023 19.00 Watch for free on Konserthuset Play Watch for free on Konserthuset Play
  • Genre: Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra

    A beloved symphony and a violin concerto of love.

    Saturday 18 November 2023 15.00
  • Genre: Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra

    The music of the sea and a Swedish world premiere with Chief Conductor Ryan Bancroft.

    Wednesday 22 November 2023 19.00
  • Genre: Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra

    The music of the sea and a Swedish world premiere with Chief Conductor Ryan Bancroft.

    Thursday 23 November 2023 19.00
  • Genre: Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra

    To the max with Hillborg. A new piano concerto and music by Mozart and Stravinsky.

    Wednesday 10 January 2024 19.00
  • Genre: Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra

    To the max with Hillborg. A new piano concerto and music by Mozart and Stravinsky.

    Thursday 11 January 2024 19.00
  • Genre: Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra

    Musical dreams and fantasies.

    Wednesday 17 April 2024 18.00
  • Genre: Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra

    Seong-Jin Cho is piano soloist and the orchestra is led by Chief Conductor Ryan Bancroft.

    Thursday 18 April 2024 18.00
  • Genre: Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra

    Chief conductor Ryan Bancroft conducts and Isata Kanneh-Mason is piano soloist.

    Wednesday 24 April 2024 19.00
  • Genre: Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra

    Chief conductor Ryan Bancroft conducts and Isata Kanneh-Mason is piano soloist.

    Thursday 25 April 2024 19.00
  • Genre: Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Vocal music

    Ryan Bancroft conducts The Firebird and Sofie Asplund sings arias. Executive and Artistic Director Stefan Forsberg hosts and introduces the concert.

    Thursday 30 May 2024 19.00
  • Genre: Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Vocal music

    Ryan Bancroft conducts The Firebird and Sofie Asplund sings arias.

    Saturday 1 June 2024 15.00