Biography
Conductor
Jaap van Zweden
Jaap van Zweden is currently music director of the Seoul Philharmonic and music director-designate of the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France. From 2018 to 2024 he served as the 26th music director of the New York Philharmonic, and he was the music director of the Hong Kong Philharmonic for 12 seasons running from 2012 to 2024. He made his San Francisco Symphony debut in October 2012.
Van Zweden’s 2024-25 season included tour performances with the Hong Kong Philharmonic in the Concertgebouw, and a concert performance of Der fliegende Holländer with the Netherlands Radio Orchestra, where he holds the title of honorary chief conductor. He was also part of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra’s celebration of Anton Bruckner’s Bicentenary, conducting the composer’s Fourth Symphony, and he conducted Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France. Guest appearances with American orchestras included Mahler’s Sixth and Seventh symphonies with the Chicago Symphony in Chicago and on a European tour, his first appearance with the Cincinnati Symphony, and a return to the Dallas Symphony, where he served as music director from 2008 to 2018.
Van Zweden’s tenure as Music Director of the New York Philharmonic was distinguished by such highlights as the reopening of the transformed David Geffen Hall, as well as premieres of 31 new works. Recordings with the New York Philharmonic include the world premiere of David Lang’s prisoner of the state and Julia Wolfe’s Grammy-nominated Fire in my mouth, both released on Decca Gold. He conducted the Hong Kong Philharmonic in Wagner’s Ring Cycle, released on Naxos, and his acclaimed performances of Lohengrin, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, and Parsifal—the last of which earned him the Edison Award for Best Opera Recording—are available on CD and DVD.
Born in Amsterdam, Mr. van Zweden was appointed the youngest-ever concertmaster of the Concertgebouw Orchestra and began his conducting career in 1996. He remains conductor emeritus of the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra and honorary chief conductor of the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic. He previously served as chief conductor of the Royal Flanders Orchestra and as music director of the Dallas Symphony. Under his leadership, the Hong Kong Philharmonic was named Gramophone’s Orchestra of the Year in 2019. He was named Musical America’s 2012 Conductor of the Year and was the subject of a 60 Minutes profile. In 1997 Mr. Zweden and his wife, Aaltje, established the Papageno Foundation to support families of children with autism.
Van Zweden’s 2024-25 season included tour performances with the Hong Kong Philharmonic in the Concertgebouw, and a concert performance of Der fliegende Holländer with the Netherlands Radio Orchestra, where he holds the title of honorary chief conductor. He was also part of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra’s celebration of Anton Bruckner’s Bicentenary, conducting the composer’s Fourth Symphony, and he conducted Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France. Guest appearances with American orchestras included Mahler’s Sixth and Seventh symphonies with the Chicago Symphony in Chicago and on a European tour, his first appearance with the Cincinnati Symphony, and a return to the Dallas Symphony, where he served as music director from 2008 to 2018.
Van Zweden’s tenure as Music Director of the New York Philharmonic was distinguished by such highlights as the reopening of the transformed David Geffen Hall, as well as premieres of 31 new works. Recordings with the New York Philharmonic include the world premiere of David Lang’s prisoner of the state and Julia Wolfe’s Grammy-nominated Fire in my mouth, both released on Decca Gold. He conducted the Hong Kong Philharmonic in Wagner’s Ring Cycle, released on Naxos, and his acclaimed performances of Lohengrin, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, and Parsifal—the last of which earned him the Edison Award for Best Opera Recording—are available on CD and DVD.
Born in Amsterdam, Mr. van Zweden was appointed the youngest-ever concertmaster of the Concertgebouw Orchestra and began his conducting career in 1996. He remains conductor emeritus of the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra and honorary chief conductor of the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic. He previously served as chief conductor of the Royal Flanders Orchestra and as music director of the Dallas Symphony. Under his leadership, the Hong Kong Philharmonic was named Gramophone’s Orchestra of the Year in 2019. He was named Musical America’s 2012 Conductor of the Year and was the subject of a 60 Minutes profile. In 1997 Mr. Zweden and his wife, Aaltje, established the Papageno Foundation to support families of children with autism.
