DuncanWard

★★★★★

'Ward’s superbly controlled performance was marvellous in its fierce dynamism and electrifying precision.' - Tim Ashley, The Guardian

British conductor Duncan Ward has established himself as one of the most exciting and versatile conductors of his generation. He is Chief Conductor of Philzuid (South Netherlands Philharmonic), a position he has held since 2020/21.

The 2023/24 season saw Duncan return to the London Symphony Orchestra for two highly acclaimed projects at the Barbican, with Abel Selaocoe and Isabelle Faust as soloists. Recent symphonic highlights include with Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Finnish Radio Symphony, Dresden Philharmonic, Gürzenich-Orchester Köln, Trondheim Symphony, Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg, Les Siècles, Lucerne Symphony and Kammerakademie Potsdam. Duncan made his debut at Zurich Opera with Midsummer Night’s Dream, as well as returning to Oper Köln for Peter Grimes.

Duncan returns to London in Autumn 2024 to conduct a new production of Britten’s Turn of the Screw at English National Opera. In 2024/25 he also debuts at Opera National de Lyon (Cosi fan Tutte), Stuttgart Staatsoper (Death in Venice), Rundfunk Sinfonieorchester Berlin, Osaka Philharmonic, Orchestre Symphonique du Quebec & Schleswig-Holstein Festival Orchestra alongside return visits to Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen & NFM Wroclaw Philharmonic.

Duncan made his North American debut at the Metropolitan Opera in 2022 with Die Zauberflöte. He conducted the opening ceremony of Salzburg Festival with the Mozarteum Orchester, broadcast live on TV, alongside memorable concerts with Frankfurt Radio Symphony, Vienna Radio Symphony, Balthasar Neumann and NDR Elbphilharmonie orchestras.

Duncan is passionate about a hugely wide-ranging repertoire, equally at home working with period instrument ensembles such as Les Siècles or Balthasar Neumann, as with contemporary music specialists like Ensemble Modern or Ensemble Intercontemporain. Committed to several music charity projects, in his late teens Duncan co-founded the WAM Foundation, enabling young British musicians to teach in schools across India. He has also regularly collaborated with the South African non-profit organisation MIAGI, for whom he directed a major tour in 2018 to celebrate the hundredth anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s birth. Through his work across India, Duncan had the rare privilege to be personally invited to study Indian classical music with the late great sitarist Ravi Shankar.