Jaap van Zweden

Over the past decade, conductor Jaap van Zweden has become an international presence on three continents. Currently Music Director of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, he is also Music Director of the New York Philharmonic and becomes Music Director of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra in 2024. He has appeared as guest conductor with leading orchestras such as, in Europe, the Orchestre de Paris, Amsterdam’s Koninjklijk Concertgebouworkest, Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, Vienna Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic, London Symphony Orchestra, and, in the US, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, The Cleveland Orchestra and Los Angeles Philharmonic.

Maestro van Zweden’s numerous recordings include the world premiere of David Lang’s »prisoner of the state« (2020) and Julia Wolfe’s »Grammy«-nominated »Fire in my mouth« (2019), both recorded with the New York Philharmonic and released on Universal Music Group’s Decca Gold. With the Hong Kong Philharmonic, he recorded Wagner’s complete »Ring« Cycle, and recently Mahler’s Symphony no. 10 and Shostakovich’s Symphony no. 10, all for the Naxos label.

Recently, van Zweden has been awarded the »Silver Bauhinia Star« by the Hong Kong Government in recognition of his significant contribution to the development of the HK Phil and classical music in Hong Kong. He was conferred Honorary Fellowship by Lingnan University in 2020, and Honorary University Fellowship by Hong Kong Baptist University and an Honorary Doctorate by The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts in 2021. He also received the prestigious 2023 »Concertgebouw Prize«.

Maestro van Zweden and his wife Aaltje established the Papageno Foundation in 1997 to support families of children with autism.