Mark Wigglesworth
(c) Benjamin Ealovega
Conductors Mark Wigglesworth and Chloé van Soeterstède become Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra’s new Chief Conductor and Principal Guest Conductor respectively from the start of the Orchestra’s 2024/25 season, each for a four-year term.
Kirill Karabits, who celebrates a remarkable 15-year tenure at the close of the season, becomes Conductor Laureate & Artistic Director, Voices from the East.
Mark Wigglesworth, 59, was Principal Guest Conductor since 2021. When he becomes the BSO’s Chief Conductor from autumn 2024 he will be the first British conductor to hold the role in over 60 years. He held positions as Associate Conductor of the BBC Symphony, Principal Guest Conductor of the Swedish Radio Symphony, and the Adelaide Symphony, Music Director of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, and Music Director of English National Opera.
French conductor Chloé van Soeterstède was born in 1988. After studying viola in Paris and then at the Royal Academy of Music, she studied conducting at the Royal Northern College of Music (2015-2017) with Clark Rundell and Mark Heron where she was awarded the Kennedy scholarship and was also supported by the Derek Hill Foundation. She was appointed the Taki Alsop Fellow 2019-21 by Marin Alsop and was a Dudamel Fellow with the LA Philharmonic in the 21/22 season.
In 2012 she founded the Arch Sinfonia, a chamber orchestra based in London.
