Welcome to the Siemens - Hallé International Conductors Competition 2026

 
 

The Siemens Hallé International Conductors Competition seeks to provide a talented and emerging conductor with a platform to develop their skills on an international level.

The Winner of the competition becomes Assistant Conductor of the Hallé, with the opportunity to work alongside the Hallé’s Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor, Kahchun Wong, for a 3-year period in a meaningful and varied role which represents an invaluable chance for an emerging conductor to build a career and establish themselves on the world stage. It is, quite literally, a life changing opportunity.

The Siemens Hallé International Conductors Competition celebrates the innovative partnership between the Hallé and Siemens AG, a global technology powerhouse, that has been developed over the last two decades. Creating links between engineering and music, Siemens and the Hallé have not only brought classical music to Manchester audiences, they have collaborated on delivering a variety of education and community outreach projects that engage children and support communities throughout the North of England.

 

Competition

 

The second iteration of the Siemens Hallé International Conductors Competition took place in Manchester from Sunday 12th to Tuesday 14th March 2023.

After three days of rounds which included working with the musicians in the Hallé Youth Orchestra and a final performance at The Bridgewater Hall with the Hallé, Euan Shields was announced the winner of the competition. Euan began his position of Assistant Conductor from in September 2023, and is currently excelling in his second season in the role. 

“The first moment I stood in front of the Hallé during the SHICC was unforgettable—the orchestra’s warmth, musicianship, and generosity made a deep impression on me. Their energy, commitment to excellence, and strong connection to the community make it a truly inspiring place to make music. It’s a privilege to contribute to such a vibrant musical family” – Euan Shields 

 
 
SHICC 2023 logo first prize

First Prize

Hallé Assistant Conductor role for 3 years.

 

Assistant Conductor Role

The Assistant Conductor role will include a guaranteed number of conducting engagements, with a phased programme of concerts with the Hallé in Manchester and elsewhere over the following 3 years, and with engagements with Orchestras on an international level. They will be an outstanding musician, a confident communicator and a flexible team worker, eager to learn from those around them. 

Key tasks of the Assistant Conductor are: 

  • To shadow the Hallé’s Principal Conductor and visiting conductors, and assist them in matters of balance, off stage conducting, pre-rehearsals, and/or sectionals  

  • To conduct a minimum of five public concerts with the Hallé each year  

  • To become Music Director of the Hallé Youth Orchestra  

  • To direct the Youth Orchestra’s regular weekly term-time rehearsals on Sunday afternoons and public concerts (approximately 4-5 per year)   

  •  To lead the Youth Orchestra’s artistic planning process and auditions   

  • To study scores associated with the above, reading all scores of new music sent to the Principal Conductor and Head of Artistic Planning and providing advice on their suitability for performance  

  • To sit in on Hallé rehearsals and performances (including touring) in and outside Manchester, and be ready to stand in if appropriate  

  • To play a part in the Hallé’s artistic planning team, attending meetings as and when required, and participate in Hallé Connect education and outreach projects where appropriate 

 
SHICC 2023 logo second prize

Second Prize

£2,000

The winner of the second place in the Competition will receive a £2,000 cash prize.

 
SHICC2023 logo third prize

Third Prize

£1,000

The winner of the third place in the Competition will receive a £1,000 cash prize.

 

The Panel reserves the right to award any additional prizes as it sees fit.

 

Heritage

““We are thrilled to announce the Siemens Hallé International Conducting Competition for 2026, following its huge success since the 2020 competition, launching the careers of Delyana Lazarova and our current winner from 2023, Euan Shields. I have seen first-hand the extraordinary opportunities and subsequent development of these conductors. The Hallé’s Assistant Conductorship has a track record for impacting and developing the lives of rising star conductors – with a three-year programme of work with the Hallé and it’s youth orchestra in Manchester and across the North and beyond. With applications from almost every continent, we are delighted the finals open to the public at our The Bridgewater Hall home on Tuesday 31st March 2026. A huge thank you to Siemens for their enlightened support and for extending this opportunity to global audiences, bringing the very best and brightest musical talent to Manchester.
”
— David Butcher, Chief Executive of the Hallé

Founded in 2002 alongside the Hallé Youth Orchestra, the position of Hallé Assistant Conductor is a prestigious role for emerging talented conductors. The unique opportunity of this role is to receive ongoing mentoring from Kahchun Wong and the opportunity to learn and develop in a nurturing environment, supported by professional Hallé players and administrative staff from all Hallé departments. Previous incumbents of the post include Edward Gardner, Andrew Gourlay, Ewa Strusinska, Jamie Phillips, Jonathon Heyward, and Delyana Lazarova. The current Assistant Conductor and winner of the inaugural Siemens - Hallé International Conductors Competition is Euan Shields. 

 

Semi-Finalists

 

On Monday 30 March 2026 we will announce the three finalists of the Siemens Hallé International Conducting Competition. See below for information on our eight shortlisted conductors.

 
 
 
 

Our heartfelt thanks to all of our wonderful semi-finalists who have made the competition so engaging. 

 
 
 

Shortlist

 

The Hallé is delighted to announce that over 270 applications for the Siemens Hallé International Conductors Competition were received, from six continents. These have now been shortlisted to just eight. At the end of March 2026, these eight will be reduced to just three finalists. These three continue through the process that culminates in the public final and the announcement of the winner on Tuesday 31 March 2026 in Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall.

The eight shortlisted candidates are:

Nataliia Stets

Nataliia Stets
Ukraine

Nataliia Stets is an Ukrainian conductor and has served as the Music Director of the National Philharmonic of Ukraine since 2023. Her conducting excellence gained international recognition after she won First Prize at the International Conducting Competition Citta di Brescia – Giancarlo Facchinetti in April 2023. This success strengthened her position in the field of contemporary music, a focus she consistently demonstrates by leading premieres of new operas and instrumental works and collaborating closely with today's composers.

Press reviews describe her conducting as assured, insightful, and full of tension, bringing renewed vitality to the classical repertoire. After her studies at the National Music Academy in Kyiv and serving as Chief Conductor of the Svitanok Orchestra and Conductor with the Kyiv Symphony Orchestra, Nataliia Stets has built a broad international professional profile. She has worked as an assistant conductor in various European institutions and has collaborated with ensembles including the Duisburg Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as Theater Bielefeld, Teatro Comunale di Bologna, and Teatro dell’Opera di Roma. She also works closely with leading Ukrainian orchestras such as the Symphony Orchestra of the National Philharmonic of Ukraine and the National Orchestra of the Lviv Philharmonic. Her performances have taken place in major European venues, including Konzerthaus Berlin and Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris.

Oliver Cope

Oliver Cope
UK

Oliver Cope is a British conductor and recent First Prize winner of the Koussevitzky Conducting Competition and the Athens Conducting Competition. He graduated with First Class Honours from Clare College, Cambridge, later studying conducting at the Royal Academy of Music with Sian Edwards and at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland with Martyn Brabbins, receiving the Hugh S. Robertson Prize for Orchestral Conducting.

He has conducted orchestras across Europe including the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Thessaloniki State Symphony Orchestra and Athens Philharmonia. His BBCSSO debut in the Emerging Conductor Showcase was followed by invitations to assist the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra and Royal Scottish National Orchestra.

Further competition successes include the finals of the BSO’s Calleva Conductors’ Competition (Second,Prize) the Dmitri Mitropoulos Competition (Third Prize, no First Prize awarded), and the semifinals of the Lliria Conducting Competition.

In opera, Cope has conducted Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin with Hampstead Garden Opera, praised by The Spectator as “the sort of night that made you want to drag in an opera sceptic”. He returns to HGO in 2026 for Britten’s Rape of Lucretia and continues on the Music Staff at Grange Park, assisting Tavener’s Krishna in 2026.

Matthew Lynch

Matthew Lynch
UK/Germany

British/German conductor, Matthew Lynch, was a Fellow Conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra for the 2024/25 season and continues to enjoy a busy international career.

Last season he made debuts with the Toronto Symphony, London Philharmonic, BBC Symphony, and Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestras. This season sees him return to the London Mozart Players, the Philharmonia and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, alongside debuts with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and INSeries Opera.

A keen advocate of contemporary music, Matthew is a regular collaborator of the composers Max Richter and Devonté Hynes. He also continues to play an active role in music education, working with the London Schools’ Symphony Orchestra, the Chineke! Junior Orchestra, and orchestras at the Royal Irish Academy of Music, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and Trinity Laban.

Matthew Lynch studied music at Oxford University and at the Hochschule für Musik, Dresden. He was a conducting fellow of the Aspen Music Festival and School with Robert Spano, a fellow of the Dartington Festival with Sian Edwards, and has participated in the Tanglewood Conducting Seminar with Stefan Asbury.

Mingyan Sally Yu

Mingyan Sally Yu
China

Born and raised in Yunnan, China, Mingyan (Sally) Yu is a rising conductor from an unusually versatile background. Yu is completing a post-graduate diploma at the Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst (mdw) in Vienna, under the mentorship of Simeon Pironkoff. Yu once embarked on a promising career path as an RFIC designer after graduating from Cornell and Columbia University with BS and MS degrees in Electrical Engineering. Yu completed her second master’s degree in conducting from New England Conservatory, studying with Charles Peltz, and is a doctoral candidate at Michigan State University under Octavio Más-Arocas. Yu has attended conducting workshops and festivals worldwide with renowned pedagogues such as Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Johannes Schlaefli, Nicolás Pasquet, Mark Heron, Larry Rachleff, and Mark Gibson.

Yu has demonstrated strong capabilities in both symphonic and operatic repertoire, appearing in Asia, North America, and Europe, conducting Hiroshima Symphony Orchestra, Stavanger Symphony Orchestra, Orquestra Filarmonia das Beiras, Sofia Philharmonic, Orchestra del Teatro Cilea, Spokane Symphony Orchestra, Denver Philharmonic among many others. Yu was a semifinalist of the 2025 Orchestra’s Conductor Competition in Romania and won second prize in the 2024 Opera de Baugé Conducting Competition in France. Yu is also a photographer and certified rescue diver.

Nina Haug

Nina Haug
Switzerland

Swiss conductor Nina Haug is praised by musicians for her profound musicality and inspiring personality. During the 2025/26 season, she conducts concerts with the Magdeburg Philharmonic Orchestra (Germany), the Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra (Norway) and the Tapiola Sinfonietta (Finland). Recent career highlights include concerts with the Norwegian Radio Orchestra, the Filarmonica de Stat Dinu Lipatti and the Sinfonietta Schaffhausen in Tonhalle Zürich. She has collaborated with several youth orchestras, including NOR59 on their production of The Nutcracker, and most recently with the National Youth Orchestra of Ukraine and Orchestra Giovane in Switzerland. In winter 2022, she conducted the Christmas Gala featuringchoir, children's choir, soloists, and orchestra at the Norwegian National Opera in Oslo.

Nina Haug is currently based in Oslo, where she is a member of the Norwegian elite programme Dirigentforum. Through this programme, she regularly works with orchestras such as the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra and the Trondheim Symphony Orchestra. She participated in the renowned Conducting Academy at the 2024 Gstaad Menuhin Festival and the Järvi Academy in Estonia. Having completed her Master's degree in Orchestral Conducting at the Norwegian Academy of Music in 2024, she is now employed as a conducting teacher.

Jasper Lecon

Jasper Lecon
Germany

Jasper Lecon is a German conductor known for dynamic, communicative performances, defined by clarity, energy and a creative approach. A Conducting Fellow of the Lucerne Festival Contemporary Conducting Programme (2025) and a scholarship holder of Conductors Forum, he has recently worked with the BBC Philharmonic, the BBC SSO, the Lucerne Festival Contemporary Orchestra, and appeared at the Beethovenfest Bonn.

Recent and upcoming highlights include projects with the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie Saarbrücken-Kaiserslautern and the Munich Radio Orchestra, as well as assisting the SWR Symphonieorchester at the Donaueschinger Musiktage. He also serves as assistant conductor for a new production at the Staatsoper Hannover, and collaborated with Domingo Hindoyan and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic. He has led projects with the Stuttgart State Orchestra, the WDR Funkhausorchester and the International Ensemble Modern Academy, and develops innovative concert formats at the intersection of music, space and narrative.

Jasper studied orchestral conducting, music education and mathematics in Karlsruhe and Mannheim, and continues his conducting studies at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. He has worked in masterclasses with Ed Gardner, Sir Mark Elder, Ludovic Morlot, Nicolas Pasquet, Peter Eötvös, Anthony Hermus and John Storgårds. Since 2025 he has been supported by a DAAD scholarship.

Claudia Fuller

Claudia Fuller
UK

British conductor Claudia Fuller is quickly building a reputation as a vibrant and versatile artist in Europe and further afield.

In recent seasons they have conducted in performances with the Orquesta Sinfónica del Principado de Asturias, Hradec Králové Filharmonie, International Contemporary Ensemble and Brandenburger Symphoniker, and assisted projects with the WDR-Sinfonieorchester, BBC National Orchestra of Wales and the Royal Ballet and Opera in London.

In October 2025 Claudia won 1st Prize at the Nicola Zoraqi Conducting Competition and was the same year semi-finalist the Campus Dirigieren Competition. A current member of the Royal Philharmonic Society’s Conductors Programme, they have been the recipient of support as a Britten-Pears Foundation Young Artist (24-25) and received mentorship in masterclasses with prominent figures such as Johannes Schlaefli, Nicolás Pasquet and Marin Alsop.

Concert performances in 25/26 and future seasons include collaborations with the Orquesta Filarmónica de Gran Canaria, RTSH Symphony Orchestra and Orchestre Musique de Lumiere, as well as engagements as Assistant/Cover Conductor at the English Touring Opera.

Claudia studied for an MA in Orchestral Conducting at the University of the Arts Berlin with Prof. Steven Sloane and Prof. Harry Curtis from 2023 to 2025.

Aku Sorensen

Aku Sorensen
Finland/USA

Aku Sorensen (b. 1997) is a Finnish-American conductor, born in California and based in Finland for the last ten years. His early career has seen him visit nearly every orchestra in Finland, with frequent collaborators including the Finnish National Opera and Ballet, Turku Philharmonic Orchestra, and Oulu Sinfonia. In 2022, Sorensen was named the 20th Principal Conductor of the historic Ylioppilaskunnan Soittajat and is currently leading the orchestra through their Centennial season.

Sorensen has a keen interest in programming and curation and has served as the Artistic Director of the “Sounds of Luosto” festival in Finnish Lapland since 2019. He holds degrees in Conducting and Violin from the Sibelius Academy of the University of the Arts, Helsinki, where he studied under Professor Sakari Oramo.

 
 

Schedule

Applications Open

Thursday 6th March 2025 at 13:00 GMT

Applications Close

Friday 29th August 2025 at 13:00 GMT

Semi-Finalists Announced

Applicants informed: November 2025 

Public announcement: December 2025 

Semi-Finals with the Hallé Youth Orchestra

Sunday 29th March 2026 

Ensemble Day at Hallé St. Peters

Monday 30th March 2026 

Finalists Announced

Monday 30th March 2026 

Interviews and Finals

Tuesday 31st March 2026 

  • With the Hallé Orchestra in a public concert at The Bridgewater Hall, following which the Winner of the Competition will be announced.  

Each of the finalists will prepare all of the repertoire listed below. On the day, they will each conduct Bernstein’s Candide Overture and one of the other symphonic works:

  • Rachmaninov: Symphonic Dances

  • Sibelius: Symphony No.5

  • Brahms: Symphony No.3

9.25pm - Programme finished and deliberations commence 

10.00pm - Presentations and announcement of the winner 

10.20pm – Finish 

 

Applications

 

How to Apply

Applications are now CLOSED.

Please refer to the Competition's Privacy Policy here: https://www.conductors-competition.com/

Please note the closing date for applications is 29th August 2025. The Panel will then need time to shortlist the applications and we aim to be in touch with application outcomes by the end of November 2025. Please do not worry if you have not heard from us before then. 

If you have any queries regarding the competition, please email conductorscompetition@halle.co.uk 

 
 
 

Rules and Regulations

Repertoire for the competition will be announced in due course. Please check the website for the latest updates. 

The Panel’s decision is final. 

  • Applications need to be submitted online by Friday 29th August 2025 at 13:00 GMT. Late applications will not be considered. 

  • All applicants must be aged 18 or over. 

  • The Hallé and Siemens are committed to the principles of Equal Opportunities and welcome applicants from all backgrounds. However, no direct relations of Hallé or Siemens employees are eligible to apply.  

  • All selected Semi-Finalists will need to be available for the entirety of the Competition in Manchester from Sunday 29th to Tuesday 31st March 2026. Any applicants who are unable to attend the Competition will be seen to have withdrawn their application. 

  • All applicants agree to participate in media and promotional activities for the Competition.  

  • The first prize award of the Hallé Assistant Conductor role will be subject to an enhanced successful Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check for working with children and young people. 

If you have any further queries, please contact conductorscompetition@halle.co.uk 

Expenses

Any Semi-Finalists required to travel to Manchester for the Competition will be provided with: 

  • Free accommodation in Manchester from the evening of Saturday 28th March until the morning of Wednesday 1st April 2026. 

  • A contribution towards travel expenses from their place of residence of up to £200 

 

The Panel

 
 
 

Kahchun Wong

Internationally acclaimed for his electrifying stage presence and thoughtful exploration of Eastern and Western legacies, Singaporean-born Kahchun Wong is Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor of The Hallé, succeeding Sir Mark Elder from the 2024/25 season. In addition to leading one of the UK’s most prestigious orchestras, he also serves as Chief Conductor of the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra, while maintaining close artistic partnerships with leading ensembles across Europe and the United States.

Wong’s first season with The Hallé has won widespread acclaim in the English press, marked by recordings of Britten’s Prince of the Pagodas and Bruckner’s Symphony No.9—hailed by Gramophone as a “must-hear for all Brucknerians” (June 2025). Their latest release of Mahler’s Symphony No.2 from Bridgewater Hall follows his BBC Proms debut of the same work, memorably described by The Times as worthy of “six stars.”

Since winning the Mahler Competition in 2016, Wong has appeared with leading orchestras including The Cleveland Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, BBC Symphony, Czech Philharmonic, Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony and Yomiuri Nippon Symphony. In 2025/26, he returns to the London Philharmonic, Seattle Symphony, National Centre for the Performing Arts Orchestra in Beijing, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Osaka Philharmonic and Singapore Symphony, while also making debuts with hr-Sinfonieorchester Frankfurt, San Diego Symphony, Bergen Philharmonic, and Melbourne Symphony. The season further includes a major tour of China with The Hallé, culminating in Mahler’s Symphony No.8 at Suntory Hall to celebrate the Japan Philharmonic’s 70th anniversary.

Wong is a leading advocate for contemporary composers and cross-cultural dialogue. He has premiered Tan Dun’s Fire Ritual (New York Philharmonic), Toshio Hosokawa’s Prayer (BBC Symphony) and Reena Esmail’s Concerto for Hindustani Violin (Seattle Symphony). He commissioned Narong Prangcharoen’s Reflection of Shadow during his tenure as Principal Guest Conductor of the Dresden Philharmonic, and in his final concert as Chief Conductor of the Nuremberg Symphony he unveiled his orchestration of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, reimagined for five Chinese folk instruments and orchestra, performed before 75,000 at the Klassik Open Air and broadcast internationally on 3SAT and BR-Klassik. His second season with The Hallé features a landmark Max Richter co-commission with Anna Lapwood and the world premiere of Unsuk Chin’s newly revised Le Chant des Enfants des Étoiles.

Wong has collaborated with distinguished soloists including Nelson Freire, Thomas Hampson, Barbara Hannigan, Gerhard Oppitz, Christian Tetzlaff, Gautier Capuçon, Daniel Lozakovich, Mao Fujita, Sergei Nakariakov and Vilde Frang.

In December 2019, Wong became the first Singaporean artist awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, recognising his role in strengthening Singapore–German cultural ties and bringing German music to audiences worldwide.

 
 

Professor Dr. Stephan Frucht

Conductor Stephan Frucht is rarely seen live on stage. However, his numerous recordings with renowned orchestras and soloists have long attracted international attention. His recording with the Rundfunk-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin was awarded the OPUS Classic Prize for the best concert recording in 2019. His musical partners include the radio orchestras in Munich, Berlin and Leipzig, as well as the Karajan Orchestra Academy of the Berlin Philharmonic, the Deutsche Oper Berlin, the Bavarian State Orchestra, the Deutsches Symphonie Orchester Berlin, the Munich Chamber Orchestra, the Zurich Opera House, Sofia Philharmonic, OSL New York as well as State Symphony Orchestras in central Asia and China.  

In his concerts he works with soloists such as Daniel Müller-Schott, Rolando Villazon, Daniel Hope, Lars Vogt, Hanna-Elisabeth Müller, Christoph Eschenbach and Albrecht Mayer. Frucht studied at the Berlin University of the Arts. Today, he is an honorary professor at the Karlsruhe University of Music and regularly teaches at the Harvard Kennedy School. He has also been Artistic Director of the Siemens Arts Program since 2015. 

 
 

Frauke Roth

Born in Hamburg, Frauke Roth studied flute in Freiburg and London, completing her concert diploma at the Hanns Eisler School of Music in Berlin in 1999. Early in her career she performed with several orchestras, including the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, where she gained formative experience of collaborative orchestral work.

In 1998 she became manager of Ensemble Oriol Berlin. Two years later she established the ensemble as resident orchestra of the newly opened Nikolaisaal in Potsdam and subsequently initiated the merger with the Persius Ensemble to form the Kammerakademie Potsdam. As Managing Director she developed the orchestra into an internationally recognised chamber orchestra, collaborating with leading conductors and soloists.

Since January 2015 Frauke Roth has served as Intendant of the Dresdner Philharmonie. Under her leadership the orchestra has strengthened its international profile and expanded its artistic and educational programmes. She also played a key role in shaping the Philharmonie’s presence in the new concert hall in Dresden’s Kulturpalast, opened in 2017.

Frauke Roth is a frequent speaker on orchestral management and cultural policy and has been a member of the International Konzerthaus Conference since 2017.

 
 

David Butcher

David Butcher has been Chief Executive of the Hallé since September 2020. Prior to joining the Hallé, David was CEO and Artistic Director of Britten Sinfonia from its foundation 1992 where he led the Orchestra to three Royal Philharmonic Society Awards in 2006, 2008 and 2013. David was made an Honorary Associate of the Royal Academy of Music in 2012 and was the ABO/ Rhinegold Orchestra Manager of the Year in 2013. Prior to Britten Sinfonia, he spent four years as General Manager of National Youth Music Theatre and as Artistic Administrator at The Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields. He is a board member of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain and the Cambridge University Musical Society. David was brought up in Ross-on-Wye, was a Hereford chorister and studied at Goldsmiths’ College, University of London.

 
 

Anna Hirst

Anna has been Artistic Planning Director of the Hallé since September 2020 in which time she has introduced several new concert series, commissioned new works by Hannah Kendall, Nitin Sawhney, Huw Watkins, Sir James MacMillan, John Adams, Unsuk Chin, Thomas Adès to name just a few. Anna has also secured international touring for the orchestra and helped the Hallé record a number of prominent discs.

 Prior to joining the Hallé, Anna spent more than 10 years as an active member of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra’s artistic planning team. Highlights included the 50th anniversary performance of Britten War Requiem in Coventry Cathedral, touring the orchestra to venues around the UK and delivering the CBSO’s centenary celebration concert, which was viewed more than 150,000 times, worldwide.
Over the years, Anna has enjoyed working with numerous fantastic conductors including Andris Nelsons, Sir Simon Rattle, Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla, Kazuki Yamada, Thomas Adès, Sir Mark Elder and the Hallé’s exciting new Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor Kahchun Wong.

Anna was brought up in Hampshire where she was exposed to music from a young age. She went on to become a member of Hampshire Youth Orchestra and Youth Choir which lead to her studying the flute at Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, graduating in 2007.

 

About Us

 
 
 

The Hallé, numbered amongst the world’s top symphonic ensembles, continues to seek ways to enhance and refresh what it undertakes, with aspirations to provide leadership through performance standards, education, understanding and training. Founded specifically to bring music to all, we are proud to make music in our home city of Manchester and across the region as the orchestra of the North West. Our collective spirit and unique Hallé sound is renowned, not only across our nation but across the globe.  

Innovation has always been central to the Hallé since its foundation in 1858 by the revolutionary Sir Charles Hallé with his central belief that music is for everyone and has the power to change lives. Hallé’s trailblazing work created a truly great orchestra and this commitment to excellence and engagement with people has been fostered and developed by other musical legends through the ages.   

In its 167-year history, the Hallé has been guided by such distinguished figures as Sir Charles Hallé, Dr Hans Richter, Sir Hamilton Harty and Sir John Barbirolli. This iteration of Siemens - Hallé International Conductors Competition falls within an exciting period of historic change at the Hallé. Our 2023/24 season was Sir Mark Elder’s last as Music Director after over 20 extraordinary years of leadership. Sir Mark’s legacy is felt not only in the power and sound of the orchestra he has guided but also in the youth ensembles he founded, and in our choral family who played a central role in Sir Mark’s finale – showcasing the Hallé’s special familial structure.   

Now into our 2024/25 season, with Sir Mark moving into the esteemed role of Conductor Emeritus, Kahchun Wong takes the helm as Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor. Kahchun’s arrival has been much anticipated since his electrifying debut back in spring 2023 and excitement for this new chapter at the Hallé is palpable in Manchester and beyond. 2024/25 is one of our most musically ambitious seasons to date, and it is only the beginning of this historic new era.  

The Hallé has received many awards, notably from the Royal Philharmonic Society and the South Bank Awards, for its work in the concert hall and celebrated collaborations with other orchestras and Manchester organisations. The Hallé has a distinguished history of acclaimed performances, in Manchester and around Britain, as well as televised concerts, frequent radio broadcasts and international tours. Since launching its own recording label in 2003, a number of the Hallé’s recordings have won prestigious awards including five Gramophone Awards, two Diapasons d’Or and a BBC Music Magazine Award.  

As a UK registered charity (no.223882) The Hallé’s work continues beyond the concert platform and includes the largest musical community and education project of its kind in the UK, and an archive charting over 160 years of Manchester’s musical heritage.    

Hallé Connect brings together all of the Hallé’s activity away from the formal concert platform. Working across the whole community – from schools to universities, care homes to prisons – to bring music in its broadest sense to those who face barriers to the arts and participation. The Hallé’s education programme and family of ensembles celebrate creativity and raise aspirations through very accessible and practical projects, holding Halle’s founding vision at their centre. Our Connect team run co-created community projects across a variety of spaces, concerts specially tailored to audiences’ educational or engagement needs, and look after our family of youth ensembles. We are the only symphonic orchestra in the UK with youth ensembles which are entirely free to join. Removing cost as a barrier is a vital aspect in ensuring this opportunity is truly accessible to talented young people of all backgrounds.   

Established in 2002, the Hallé Youth Orchestra offers outstanding young instrumentalists aged 13-19 years, who love orchestral music and the buzz of contributing to a large orchestra, the chance to experience playing in a full symphony orchestra supported by professional musicians. The Hallé Youth Orchestra is conducted by Hallé Assistant Conductor and Hallé Youth Orchestra Music Director – a position awarded via SHICC.   

The Hallé Youth Orchestra meets regularly on Sunday afternoons during autumn and spring terms. Each summer, members enjoy a residential course and tour, alternating between UK and Europe, with visits in recent years to Italy, Dublin, Prague, Germany and Scotland. Throughout the concert season the Youth Orchestra are given multiple performance opportunities across the Hallé’s venues, with these concerts being a culmination of the term’s work. The Youth Orchestra works regularly with Hallé players as section tutors and annually sits ‘side-by-side’ with the professionals to perform challenging works. In February 2025, the double Hallé-Hallé Youth Orchestra performed a dramatic duo of pieces, each offering a contrasting view of the afterlife. These were Selection from Inferno Suite by Thomas Ades and Death and Transfiguration by R.Strauss. The Youth Orchestra will perform as part of the Hallé Youth Ensembles Celebration in March – a concert designed to showcase the talent of the youngest members of the Hallé family.  

The Hallé Youth Orchestra is very grateful to the Oglesby Charitable Trust, The Radcliffe Trust, The Zochonis Charitable Trust, Pilkington General Charity and many individual benefactors for their continued support of the Youth Orchestra.  

 

Siemens is a leading technology company focused on industry, infrastructure, mobility, and healthcare. The company’s purpose is to create technology to transform the everyday, for everyone. By combining the real and the digital worlds, Siemens empowers customers to accelerate their digital and sustainability transformations, making factories more efficient, cities more livable, and transportation more sustainable.

Siemens in the UK has sponsored the Hallé for over 20 years. During this time the partnership has created a remarkable alliance. Driven by passion on both sides it has delivered real and tangible benefits for both organisations. The partnership with Siemens is varied and dynamic, and the two organisations work closely together to find new and innovative ways of developing projects that present the links between technology, engineering and music.

“The Siemens Arts Program places high importance on sustainably fostering the development of up-and-coming young artists. Therefore, we are pleased to strengthen our partnership with the Hallé through the third Siemens Hallé International Conductors Competition. This competition offers a wonderful platform for young conducting talent to develop their abilities and bring their musical leadership skills to the next level.”
— Professor Dr. Stephan Frucht, Artistic Director of Siemens' Arts Program

Social

The core relationship includes sponsored concerts and joint events each season as well as social and educational projects), the creation of a Siemens Workplace Choir as well as engagement in the Hallé’s schools concerts Hallé for Youth. Most recently the Hallé have partnered with staff at Siemens to develop technology to support the Hallé’s work with dementia sufferers. The wider partnership is continually evolving providing mutual moral support, inter-organisational events, staff wellbeing and training.

 

Arts

As is the case with many other companies that get involved in the promotion of art and culture today, the altruism of the founding family was at the start of it all for Siemens. Beyond this, Siemens also takes part in numerous prestigious cultural events as a sponsor and source of inspiration in the arts, including as the main sponsor of the Salzburg Festival and the ARD Music Competition, but also of the Orchestra Academy of the Bavarian State Opera and the Hallé with the Siemens Hallé International Conductor Competition in Manchester.  

A further element of the commitment of Siemens AG to the sponsorship of the arts is the Siemens Arts Program, which was established in 1987 with the intention of developing the company's own, specific cultural program. In this way, Siemens emphasises the special status that art and culture assume in society. 

Active primarily in the fields of music, visual arts and cultural education, the Siemens Arts Program sees itself as a creative platform for corporate art and cultural projects. One of the program’s priorities is to support outstanding young artists all around the world, an objective it pursues through young talent competitions that it has initiated itself (such as the Siemens Opera Contest and the Siemens Scholarship for young talents of the Karajan Academy of the Berliner Philharmoniker) and by providing young artists with an introduction to established international cultural institutions (Bavarian State Opera, Carnegie Hall New York, Salzburg Festival). Art and culture belong to the foundations of any free society and have an essential role to play as an engine of identity, creativity and self-reflection. The Siemens Arts Program cultural outreach initiative shows the world that Siemens AG embraces its social responsibilities and that there is more to the organization than just the benefits provided directly by its products.

Siemens Arts Program supports the Siemens Hallé International Conductors Competition for the third time.

Learn more about the Siemens Arts Program: Siemens Arts Program - Siemens Global 

On Instagram: Siemens Arts Program (@siemens_arts) • Instagram-Fotos und -Videos 

Siemens have been instrumental in developing some of the Hallé’s most innovative projects including supporting the development of the Hallé’s Arts Based Training programme. In 2018 the relationship was further developed when discussions with Siemens Arts Program helped to form the plans for the Siemens Hallé International Conductors Competition.  We are very proud of the partnership as a whole and the huge, positive, impact it has had on both organisations. We believe that the Hallé / Siemens alliance is one of the most innovative partnerships between culture and industry that exists in the world of music today. 

Our former Assistant Conductors are:

Euan Shields 2023-2026

Delyana Lazarova 2020-2023

Jonathon Heyward 2016-2019

Jamie Phillips 2012-2016

Andrew Gourlay 2010-2012

Ewa Strusinska 2008-2010

Rory Macdonald 2006-2008

André de Ridder 2004-2006

Edward Gardner 2001-2004

 
 

Contact

Please feel free to contact us with any questions using the form below. Alternatively, you can email conductorscompetition@halle.co.uk

For press enquiries, please email press@halle.co.uk