André de Ridder has been named Music Director of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.

He will begin his tenure at the start of 2027 and will work alongside Gemma New, the orchestra’s Artistic Advisor and Principal Conductor since 2022.

De Ridder made his NZSO debut with a three-concert festival in 2023

In a statement, the conductor said, “I am very excited and feel truly honoured to have been chosen to become this orchestra’s next Music Director and to learn about and contribute to New Zealand’s unique musical and cultural scenery. The orchestra’s brilliance and warm, receptive musicality became immediately apparent to me. The shared joy of music making grew from concert to concert and I was very taken by the friendly and lively reception from the New Zealand audience.”

De Ridder was recently appointed the Music Director of the English National Opera and is currently Music Director of Germany’s Theatre Freiburg and Philharmonisches Orchester Freiburg.

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