CHIEF CONDUCTOR BELGIAN NATIONAL ORCHESTRA from 2022/23

On July 19 Antony Hermus was announced Chief Conductor of the BELGIAN NATIONAL ORCHESTRA

He will conduct 8 concerts in his Designate year 2022/23 and then 18 concerts a season from 23/24, encompassing international tours, recordings and regular appearances in subscription at BOZAR as well as conducting the prestigious Queen Elisabeth Competition.

Hermus was the clear first choice of musicians and management, having already conducted the orchestra on two successive visits, most recently in October 2020:

"Showing intelligence and rigour…superbly coherent…masterful but never comfortable…impressively serious." 

Bachtrack, October 2020 – BNO at Bozar, Sibelius: Symphony No.3.

He returns to BOZAR with the BNO on 24 September 2021 to conduct de Vlieger’s orchestral Meistersinger and Ibert with the Belgian saxophonist Simon Diricq.

Hermus continues as Principal Guest Conductor of the North Netherlands Orchestra and of Opera North.

As from the press release:

Intendant Hans Waege sees Antony Hermus as an absolute inspiration, a shining example who, with the musicians of the Belgian National Orchestra, can take the works the audience loves so much to a higher level: “I just can’t wait for Antony Hermus to join us. We’re going on an incredible journey! He will introduce our audience to new symphonic masterpieces and to little-performed music.” Antony Hermus will also be actively involved in audience development projects, both inside and outside the concert hall. The fact that Antony Hermus speaks both Dutch and French is a great added value. With these projects, the orchestra makes a clear commitment to society. Anthony Devriendt, chairman of the artistic committee of the Belgian National Orchestra: "As an orchestra, we are extremely happy with this choice of a richly talented musician and conductor. We look forward to working with him".

Antony Hermus: “I am extremely pleased and feel highly honoured to have been so warmly invited by the Belgian National Orchestra to become its next Chief Conductor. Every time I have worked with the orchestra, I have been struck by the extraordinary dedication of the musicians and the management. Plato once said: ‘Music gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination... music gives life to everything.’ I look forward to working with the Belgian National Orchestra to create a world of unique sounds, a world where we can make a difference with our music.”