MatthewHalls

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  • Conductor
Matthew Halls
Matthew Halls

About Matthew

Chief Conductor and Artistic Director: Tampere Philharmonic

Matthew has been Chief Conductor of the Tampere Philharmonic since August 2023. In addition to concerts in Finland, the 2024/25 season sees Matthew guest conduct the Atlanta Symphony, SWR Symphonieorchester, Tonkünstler-Orchester, Orchestre national de Belgique and Warsaw Philharmonic. Further ahead, he returns to the Bergen Philharmonic, Tapiola Sinfonietta, Wiener Symphoniker, Estonian National Symphony and Dallas Symphony.

Highlights of the previous two seasons have included returns to Finnish Radio Symphony, Gulbenkian Orchestra, Houston Symphony, Stavanger Symphony, Mozarteumorchester Salzburg, Indianapolis Symphony, Residentie Orchestra, alongside debuts with Minnesota Orchestra, Orchestre de chambre de Paris and Antwerp Symphony.

With a background in period-performance, Matthew was one of the first to guest-conduct Nikolaus Harnoncourt’s Concentus Musicus Wien. Since then he has conducted baroque and classical programmes with the Chicago Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, Seattle Symphony among many others.

His discography includes Bach’s Harpsichord Concertos directed from the keyboard, the premiere recording of Handel’s Parnasso in Festa and Bach’s Easter and Ascension oratorios.

Matthew is based in Derbyshire, United Kingdom

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Contact

For availability and enquiries:

Antonio Orlando

Antonio Orlando

Associate Director

For contracts, logistics and press:

Holly Cartwright

Holly Cartwright

Assistant Artist Manager

Representation

Worldwide general management with Askonas Holt

Season Highlights

Sep 2024
Tampere-talo, Tampere
Sibelius: The Oceanides Dutilleux: Tout un monde lointain... Mahler: Symphony No. 1 Maximilian Hornung (cello) Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra
Oct 2024
Tampere-talo, Tampere
Stravinsky: Symphony of Psalms Bruckner: Symphony No. 9 Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra
Nov 2024
Bozar, Brussels
Fischer: Tupaia Schumann: Cello Concerto Beethoven: Symphony No. 2 Pablo Ferrandez (cello) Orchestre national de Belgique
Dec 2024
Congress Innsbruck
Handel: Messiah Tonkünstler-Orchester
Feb 2025
Symphony Hall, Atlanta
Haydn: Overture from L'isola disabitata Haydn: Cello Concerto No. 2 Haydn: Symphony No. 101 Sterling Elliot (cello) Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
Mar 2025
National Philharmonic, Warsaw
Sibelius: Symphony No. 7 Britten: Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes Beethoven: Symphony No. 8 Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra
Apr 2025
Tampere-talo, Tampere
Britten: War Requiem Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra
May 2025
Schwetzingen
Haydn: Overture from L'Isola Disabitata Haydn: Cello Concerto No. 2 Rameau: Pygmalion (excerpts) Mozart: Symphony No. 33 SWR Sinfonieorchester

Video

Photos

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News

Press

  • Beethoven and Sibelius with the Tampere Philharmonic

    Tampere-talo, Tampere
    Sep 2023

    • Matthew Halls has already brought a new kind of lightness and sharpness to the sound of the orchestra in just a few weeks as Chief Conductor. At the same time, he demands from the orchestra a wide range of tone nuances and intensity, both at quieter and louder extremes - these traits served Beethoven's music ideally. The interpretation of En Saga had a suitable proportion of fullness and finished details. The arc of the drama was shaped by Halls as naturally as a month ago with Sibelius' Fifth. The mysteriously soaring main theme went through all the emotional states before falling into a breathless silence.

  • Season Opening Concert with Tampere Philharmonic

    Tampere-talo, Tampere
    Aug 2023

    • The concert culminated in a powerful performance of Jean Sibelius' Fifth Symphony - from memory without the safety net of the score. Halls got his new orchestra to play Sibelius so convincingly that Tampere has not its equal for quite some years. He paid particular attention to the inner details, such as the accompanying patterns of the double basses, as well as shaping the big moments. In the finale, the swan theme took off wonderfully and bravely rose to the inexorable conclusion. The concert also featured the Air des Espagnols from Jean-Baptiste Lully's Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme as an encore. Through his own arrangement, Halls showed his expertise in baroque music, including a small performing role. He also demonstrated his versatility already at the packed pre-concert talk of the concert, not only talking about the works but also playing samples on the piano. All the ingredients are there for an exciting new partnership.

  • Beethoven with Handel and Haydn Society

    Symphony Hall, Boston
    Mar 2019

    • Indeed, the Handel and Haydn Society’s real triumphs lie in moments of spontaneous vigour, and Halls utilized this power, blasting through the symphony with an ecstatic buoyancy that overcame expectations and transported the listener.

  • Bach and Mendelssohn with Jacksonville Symphony

    Jacksonville, Florida
    Oct 2018

    • An early music specialist, Halls immediately displayed his comfort and authority in this repertoire, demonstrating a very attentive and intimate connection with the players. He proved himself very deft at extracting all the dynamic and rhythmic subtleties so necessary to give this music life.

Discography