National Symphony Orchestra Ireland Appoints Alexander Shelley As Principal Conductor

The National Concert Hall has appointed Alexander Shelley as National Symphony Orchestra Ireland's new Principal Conductor. This will be for an initial term of three seasons, commencing in September 2026. Alexander will assume the role of Principal Conductor Designate with immediate effect. Alexander takes on these roles further to the completion of Jaime Martín's term as Chief Conductor in May 2024.

The Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O'Donovan, welcomed the appointment stating:

"This announcement comes at a very exciting stage in the development of the National Concert Hall as a world-class centre for music, with National Symphony Orchestra Ireland now placed firmly at the heart of the NCH programme. I know that, as Principal Conductor, Alexander will bring all his artistry, energy, and experience to bear when leading the Orchestra into an adventurous new era of diverse programming and memorable performances that resonate and remain with audiences of all ages and backgrounds. I look forward to seeing him work together with our talented musicians to further enrich the cultural landscape of Ireland."

Praised as a 'natural communicator, both on and off the podium' (Daily Telegraph), Alexander Shelley is one of the leading conductors of his generation. Currently Principal Associate Conductor with London's Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Artistic and Music Director of the Florida-based Artis-Naples, in 2026 he will assume the role of Artistic and Music Director of the Pacific Symphony in California on a five-year term with effect from 2026-2027. Since 2015, he has been Music Director of Canada's National Arts Centre Orchestra, a role he concludes at the end of this season. He is also Founding Artistic Director of the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen's ECHO and Deutsche Gründerpreis-winning "Zukunftslabor".

As Principal Conductor, Alexander will feature prominently in National Symphony Orchestra Ireland's performance schedule and in contributing to its artistic planning.

In his inaugural season, he will lead seven projects as part of the orchestra's main season taking place between September 2026 and May 2027. As Principal Conductor Designate, he will conduct National Symphony Orchestra Ireland in two performances in the National Concert Hall's Spring/Summer 2025 season. In February, they will join forces with National Symphony Chorus Ireland and five internationally renowned soloists to perform Schumann's secular oratorio and concert hall rarity, Das Paradies und die Peri, based on Thomas Moore's Lalla Rookh. In March, his programme showcases the music of John Adams, Rachmaninov and Stravinsky to illustrate how music speaks across time and borders. The programme will feature John Adams' exhilarating Short Ride in a Fast Machine, the dazzling virtuosity of Rachmaninov's Third Piano Concerto with 2024 Leeds International Piano Competition winner Jaeden Izik-Dzurko as soloist, and Stravinsky's colour-saturated The Firebird performed together with new visuals commissioned in partnership with Pacific Symphony and Artis-Naples. These concerts will take place as part of the National Concert Hall's Spring/Summer season, full details of which will be announced in October.

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