Joshua Weilerstein named BBC Philharmonic’s next chief conductor

The American conductor will succeed John Storgårds in September 2028, on an initial five-year contract.

Joshua Weilerstein has been appointed the next chief conductor of the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. The appointment, announced on November 5, will take effect in September 2028. He succeeds John Storgårds, who will become conductor laureate after completing his tenure at the end of the 2027/28 season.

The 39-year-old American conductor is currently music director of the Orchestre National de Lille and chief conductor of Denmark’s Aalborg Symphony Orchestra. He will conclude his Aalborg tenure at the end of the 2027/28 season. Alongside his conducting career, he hosts Sticky Notes, a classical music podcast that has recorded more than nine million downloads across 185 countries.

An established musical partnership

Weilerstein first conducted the BBC Philharmonic nearly a decade ago. His recent programmes with the orchestra have combined familiar repertoire with less frequently performed works: at the 2025 BBC Proms, he conducted Elsa Barraine’s Second Symphony and Rachmaninov’s Symphonic Dances, alongside clarinet concertos by Copland and Artie Shaw with Martin Fröst. In Manchester in April 2026, his programme brought together Ellington’s Harlem, Kapustin’s Fourth Piano Concerto with Frank Dupree, and Dvořák’s New World Symphony.

“I am beyond thrilled and honoured to become the next Chief Conductor of the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra,” Weilerstein said. He praised the musicians’ curiosity, humour and ability, describing their concerts and studio recordings together as particularly rewarding experiences.

Orchestra director Adam Szabo highlighted Weilerstein’s communication skills, musical leadership and advocacy for repertoire overlooked by history, alongside his approach to established orchestral works.

Storgårds to become conductor laureate

Storgårds’s move to conductor laureate will preserve a relationship that began with his appointment as principal guest conductor in 2012. He became chief conductor in 2022 and will remain in the post until summer 2028. His partnership with the orchestra has encompassed Nordic repertoire, major symphonic cycles, contemporary music and recordings, including works by Antheil, Shostakovich and Weinberg.