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Paavo Järvi
Chief Conductor & Artistic Advisor Designate
On 3 March 2026, we were delighted to announce Paavo Järvi as the London Philharmonic Orchestra’s Chief Conductor & Artistic Advisor from the 2028/29 season.
One of the most respected and sought-after conductors of his generation, Paavo Järvi succeeds current Principal Conductor Edward Gardner, assuming the role at the start of the 2028/29 season. With an initial five-year contract, this appointment marks an important new chapter for the Orchestra as it approaches its 2032 centenary.
Paavo Järvi is renowned for his compelling interpretations of the symphonic repertoire and his advocacy for new music. He brings to the podium a leadership style defined by distinctive musical insight and a deep commitment to orchestral excellence. Equally central to both Paavo and the London Philharmonic Orchestra is a shared dedication to nurturing the next generation, a commitment embodied in the Orchestra’s industry-leading talent development programmes.
Paavo Järvi first conducted the London Philharmonic Orchestra in 1998. Most recently, he led the Orchestra on tour in 2023, in London the following year, and on a tour of China in 2025. Following their Royal Festival Hall concert on 4 March 2026, he and the Orchestra repeated the programme in Budapest and Athens – offering audiences an early glimpse of the artistic partnership that will shape the Orchestra’s future.
Read the full LPO announcement, 3 March 2026
About Paavo Järvi
Estonian Grammy Award-winning conductor Paavo Järvi is widely recognised as one of today’s most eminent conductors, enjoying close partnerships with the finest orchestras around the world. He serves as Music Director of the Tonhalle Orchester-Zürich, as Artistic Director of the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, and as both the founder and Artistic Director of the Estonian Festival Orchestra.
In addition to his permanent positions, he is much in demand as a guest conductor, regularly appearing with the Berlin Philharmonic, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and New York Philharmonic. This season, he also conducts the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Toronto Symphony, Gewandhaus Orchestra, NDR Elbphilharmonie, Philharmonia Orchestra, Luxembourg Philharmonic and Verbier Festival Orchestra. He also continues to enjoy close relationships with many of the orchestras of which he was previously Music Director, including the Orchestre de Paris, Frankfurt Radio Symphony and NHK Symphony Orchestra, Tokyo.
Recent accolades include Germany’s 2025 Opus Klassik ‘Composer of the Year’ Award, and an International Classical Music Award for his recording of Bruckner’s Symphony No. 8 with the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, both on Alpha Classics. With the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, he won the 2024 Opus Klassik and 2023 Gramophone ‘Orchestra of the Year’ awards, as well as the 2019 Rheingau Music Prize and Opus Klassik ‘Conductor of the Year’.