The Board of Governors of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra has announced that Finnish conductor Tarmo Peltokoski will become the Orchestra’s next Music Director, beginning in the 2026-27 season.

He will succeed Jaap van Zweden and Peltokoski will hold the title of Music Director of the HK Phil for a four-year term, after serving as Music Director Designate during the 2025/26 season.

Peltokoski will be the ninth Music Director of the HK Philharmonic.

David Cogman, Chairman of the Board of Governors of the HK Philharmonic and of the Music Director Search Committee, said, “I am delighted to welcome Maestro Peltokoski as the next Music Director of the HK Phil. He is a remarkable and visionary musician, and we are very fortunate that he will write the next chapter in our orchestra’s history. The Board of Governors is tremendously excited by the orchestra’s future under the leadership of such an outstanding conductor.”

In a statement, Peltokoski said, “I am honored and thrilled to be named Music Director of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. After being highly impressed by the orchestra last year, I knew this would be a long-lasting relationship. The HK Phil is surely one of the absolute top orchestras in Asia. I am very much looking forward to lots of inspiring musicmaking with the brilliant HK Phil musicians in the years to come.”

Peltokoski is Music Director Designate of the Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse during the 2024-25 season.