Martyn Brabbins has been announced as the new Chief Conductor of the Malmo Symphony Orchestra.

The former Music Director of English National Opera will start his tenure for the 2025/26 season, marking a permanent return to an orchestra he has worked extensively with over the past number of years.

The orchestra is based at the magnificent Malmo Live concert hall which hosted the 2023 European Brass Band Championships in which he took part as an adjudicator and led the orchestra in performance with trumpet star Hakan Hardenberger.

He recently led the orchestra in a concert following the death of Sir Andrew Davis.

Artistic profile

Speaking about the appointment, Erik Mikael Karlsson, CEO and Artistic Director of Malmo Live Konserthus said: "I am truly delighted to be able to appoint Martyn Brabbins as the new Chief Conductor of the Malmö Symphony Orchestra for three seasons.

Martyn is a hugely experienced conductor with an international reputation and has been a leading figure in British musical life for decades.

He has a clear artistic profile, a modern and inclusive leadership that fits like a glove with the concert hall I want to create — a dynamic, international concert hall with strong local roots that embraces musical breadth, teamwork and artistic quality at the highest level."

There is a dedication across the whole organisation to achieving the highest musical results, and their wonderful home, Malmo Live, is a concert hall of the finest qualityMartyn Brabbins

Great honour

In response the conductor said: "It is a great honour to be asked to be the next Chief Conductor of the Malmö Symphony Orchestra. My experiences with the orchestra in recent years have been inspiring and musically fulfilling.

There is a dedication across the whole organisation to achieving the highest musical results, and their wonderful home, Malmo Live, is a concert hall of the finest quality."

He added: "I look forward with enormous excitement to making music again with the musicians, and together building on the 100 year tradition of the orchestra, as we forge stronger links with the City of Malmo.

I believe that music is fundamental to life and to culture, and as such, becomes more important with each passing day."