The Christchurch Symphony Orchestra is pleased to announce the appointment of their new Chief Conductor, Benjamin Northey.

 Australian based Northey takes up the position in 2015 and will open the orchestra’s season with a Masterworks concert in March.

 The Christchurch Symphony Orchestra’s current Chief Conductor, Tom Woods, who has recently accepted a position as Stellvertretender Generalmusikdirektor, Oper Regensburg, Germany, has been appointed Conductor Emeritus for the CSO and will continue to perform with the orchestra in their upcoming concert seasons. 

Benjamin Northey has rapidly emerged as a leading figure in Australian music. He is a regular guest conductor with all major Australian symphony orchestras and Opera Australia. His international appearances include concerts with the London Philharmonic, the Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg, the Hong Kong Philharmonic, the National Symphony Orchestra of Colombia, and the New Zealand, Auckland and Christchurch Symphony Orchestras.

From 2002 to 2006 he was Resident Guest Conductor of the Australia Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra and from 2007 to 2010 Principal Guest Conductor of the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra. He is currently Associate Conductor of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, a position he has held since 2011.

“I am honoured to be appointed to this prestigious position with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra” commented Northey, “I love New Zealand and have found my previous collaborations with the musicians of the orchestra to be particularly rewarding and inspiring.  I very much look forward to this exciting new journey and the opportunity to make a positive contribution to the artistic development of the CSO and to the musical life of this great city”.  

 “It is a coup for the CSO to attract a conductor like Benjamin Northey who is in such demand and we are delighted that he has committed to our orchestra’s further development”, said Gretchen La Roche, CSO’s General and Artistic Manager. “His previous concerts with us have attracted enthusiastic responses from both orchestra and audience alike and we are looking forward to forging a dynamic and successful partnership”.