Thierry Fischer

Swiss conductor Thierry Fischer is in his second season as Music Director of the Utah Symphony Orchestra, where he has revitalised the music-making and programming, and brought a new energy to the orchestra and organisation as a whole. 2011/12 is also his sixth and final season as Principal Conductor of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. Fischer and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales appear every season at the BBC Proms in London. Since the start of Fischer’s tenure the orchestra has mounted major celebrations of the music of Dutilleux and Messiaen, and toured to USA, Spain, Italy, Amsterdam and Prague.

Alongside his regular relationships, Fischer has guest-conducted orchestras such as the Philharmonia, Orchestre of the Age of Enlightenment, Czech Philharmonic, Orchestre National de Lyon, SWR Baden Baden, Berlin Konzerthausorchester and Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France; the Indianapolis, New Jersey and Colorado symphonies; the Malaysian Philharmonic and West Australian Symphony Orchestra in Perth, Australia. In the past few months Fischer has conducted the WDR Cologne, Orchestre National de Bordeaux and Zurich Chamber orchestras, alongside regular collaborators such as the Scottish Chamber, Northern Sinfonia, Swedish Chamber, RSI Lugano and Ensemble Orchestral de Paris.

In 11/12 he returns to the Netherlands Radio Chamber and London Sinfonietta, tours to Boston, Philadelphia, Washington and New York with the Kioi Sinfonietta Toyko, and debuts with the Frankfurt Radio Symphony, Orchestre National de Belgique and Orchestre de la Suisse Romande. In Utah this Autumn he launches a Beethoven cycle with the 9th symphony paired with John Adams’ Transmigration of Souls.

Fischer began his musical career as Principal Flute in Hamburg and at the Zurich Opera. His conducting career began in his 30's when he replaced an ailing colleague, subsequently directing his first few concerts with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe where he was Principal Flute under Claudio Abbado. He spent his apprentice years in Holland, and then became Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor of the Ulster Orchestra 2001-6. He was Chief Conductor of the Nagoya Philharmonic for three years until April 2011, making his Suntory Hall debut in Tokyo in May 2010. His hallmarks are a lightness of touch and transparency of texture, allowing room for vivid characterisation. He has a keen stylistic sense, and whilst at the BBC has introduced natural trumpets and baroque timpani for suitable repertoire. Fischer regularly programmes living composers such as Simon Holt (Composer in Residence at the BBC National Orchestra of Wales), and has instigated a major commissioning programme in Utah, starting with a cello concerto by his compatriot Michel Jarrell in 2011/12.

Fischer has recorded CDs of Honegger, d’Indy and Florent Schmitt for Hyperion Records with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, and in Spring 2011 Hyperion released a live recording from the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam of Frank Martin’s opera The Tempest with the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic. This year Signum Records released the last of 3 discs of the major Stravinsky ballets, also with BBCNOW. Fischer has also recorded for ASV and Chandos, and his recording on Deutsche Grammophon of Frank Martin with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe was nominated for a Gramophone Award.