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Finnish conductor John Storgårds named next music director of Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra
Canada’s National Arts Centre (NAC) has announced that Finnish conductor John Storgårds will become the eighth music director of its resident orchestra, beginning in September 2026.
The 62-year-old maestro, already a familiar face to NAC audiences as principal guest conductor since 2015, succeeds Alexander Shelley, who will conclude his tenure in July 2026.
“I couldn’t be more honoured, happy and thrilled to become music director of Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra, an orchestra I already love so deeply,” Storgårds said in a statement. “Not only is it a fantastic orchestra, it is also a family of wonderful musicians and people, with whom I have felt a special bond from the very first time we worked together.”
A global career, rooted in Finland
Storgårds currently serves as chief conductor of both the BBC Philharmonic in Manchester and the Turku Philharmonic Orchestra in Finland. He is also the long-time artistic director of the Lapland Chamber Orchestra, with which he celebrates his 30th anniversary in 2026.
An accomplished violinist as well as conductor, he has appeared with many of the world’s leading ensembles, including the Berlin and New York Philharmonics, the Boston and Chicago Symphonies, and the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra. In Canada, he has taken the podium with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and Orchestre symphonique de Montréal.
A decade of connection with Ottawa
Since his NAC debut in 2013, Storgårds has forged a strong bond with the orchestra and its audiences. Under his baton, the ensemble has expanded its repertoire with works ranging from Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 3 to Sibelius’s Symphony No. 3, and he has championed contemporary voices such as Kaija Saariaho, Outi Tarkiainen, and Canadian Métis composer Ian Cusson, whose Le loup de Lafontaine he premiered in 2019.
Musicians highlight the chemistry they share with Storgårds. “Our weeks with John are always filled with challenging, profound, and exhilarating music-making,” said principal flute Joanna G’froerer. “We are completely in sync with him, with a depth of musical connection and trust that is truly special.”
Building on Shelley’s legacy
Christopher Deacon, president and CEO of the National Arts Centre, said the appointment represents both continuity and growth. “John is a steadfast supporter in areas where we are firmly committed, including professional development for young and emerging artists and nurturing new creation,” he noted.
The orchestra’s managing director, Nelson McDougall, added that the new chapter promises “further discovery and artistic growth” while strengthening relationships with Canadian composers and performers.
What’s ahead
Storgårds will appear with the NAC Orchestra in two major concerts before officially beginning his tenure: in November 2025 with violinist Augustin Hadelich, and in February 2026 with pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet.
His appointment adds to a remarkable wave of Finnish conductors leading major orchestras worldwide—including Esa-Pekka Salonen at the Orchestre de Paris, Tarmo Peltokoski in Toulouse and Hong Kong, and Klaus Mäkelä with multiple top posts. For a country of just 5.6 million people, Finland has become an unlikely global powerhouse of the podium.
For Storgårds, however, the focus is firmly on Canada. “When I look back at the highlights of each season, my concerts with the NAC Orchestra always stand out among the very best moments,” he said. “I look forward to deepening my relationship with our audiences in Ottawa and with Canadians everywhere.”