Thomas Adès has been appointed principal guest conductor of the Hallé orchestra for an initial three-year term, beginning in September 2026. Although the renowned composer, conductor and pianist has been an artist- and composer-in-residence with numerous orchestras and festivals throughout his career, the Hallé appointment is his first formal conducting title.
Adès has worked with the Hallé for many years, including as the orchestra's artist-in-residence from 2023-25. During the Hallé’s 2026-27 season in Manchester, he will conduct three programmes (in Nov 2026 and Feb 2027), including his own compositions, premieres by Gabriella Smith and Francisco Coll, and works by Stravinsky, Elgar, Berg, Chabrier and Gerald Barry. There are also plans for him to conduct the orchestra in other venues around the UK and internationally.
Thomas Adès comments:
‘I am delighted to be taking the role of principal guest conductor at the Hallé. Composing is the most important part of my musical life, but conducting has always played an essential role. Working directly with orchestral musicians and soloists and shaping the interpretation of my music and that of other composers, has been an endless source of joy and inspiration.
'It feels like the right moment to have a deeper relationship with an orchestra over a number of years. My association with the Hallé and The Bridgewater Hall goes back many years and make this pioneering orchestra the obvious choice’.
Thomas Adès and the Hallé
Adès began his association with the Hallé over 30 years ago when, from 1993-1999, he was appointed the orchestra’s composer-in-association. In 1996, his piece These Premises Are Alarmed was commissioned and premiered by the Hallé for the opening of The Bridgewater Hall, the Hallé's home in Manchester. In July 2025 the Hallé’s own label released a recording of Adès conducting his Aquifer and Dawn, alongside works by Oliver Leith and William Marsey.
