National Symphony Orchestra Ireland Appoints Alexander Shelley as Principal Conductor

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Alexander Shelley. Photo courtesy of National Symphony Orchestra Ireland/Curtis Perry

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The National Concert Hall (NCH) is pleased to announce the appointment of Alexander Shelley as National Symphony Orchestra Ireland’s new Principal Conductor. This will be for an initial term of three seasons, commencing in September 2026. Alexander will assume the role of Principal Conductor Designate with immediate effect. Alexander takes on these roles further to the completion of Jaime Martín’s term as Chief Conductor in May 2024. 

The Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan, welcomed the appointment stating: “This announcement comes at a very exciting stage in the development of the National Concert Hall as a world-class center for music, with National Symphony Orchestra Ireland now placed firmly at the heart of the NCH program. I know that, as Principal Conductor, Alexander will bring all his artistry, energy, and experience to bear when leading the Orchestra into an adventurous new era of diverse programming and memorable performances that resonate and remain with audiences of all ages and backgrounds. I look forward to seeing him work together with our talented musicians to further enrich the cultural landscape of Ireland.”

Praised as a ‘natural communicator, both on and off the podium’ (Daily Telegraph), Alexander Shelley is one of the leading conductors of his generation. Currently Principal Associate Conductor with London’s Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Artistic and Music Director of the Florida-based Artis–Naples, in 2026 he will assume the role of Artistic and Music Director of the Pacific Symphony in California on a five-year term with effect from 2026-2027. Since 2015, he has been Music Director of Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra, a role he concludes at the end of this season. He is also Founding Artistic Director of the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen’s ECHO and Deutsche Gründerpreis-winning “Zukunftslabor”.

As Principal Conductor, Alexander will feature prominently in National Symphony Orchestra Ireland’s performance schedule and in contributing to its artistic planning.

In his inaugural season, he will lead seven projects as part of the orchestra’s main season taking place between September 2026 and May 2027. As Principal Conductor Designate, he will conduct National Symphony Orchestra Ireland in two performances in the National Concert Hall’s Spring/Summer 2025 season. In February, they will join forces with National Symphony Chorus Ireland and five internationally renowned soloists to perform Schumann’s secular oratorio and concert hall rarity, Das Paradies und die Peri, based on Thomas Moore’s Lalla Rookh. In March, his program showcases the music of John Adams, Rachmaninov and Stravinsky to illustrate how music speaks across time and borders. The program will feature John Adams’ exhilarating Short Ride in a Fast Machine, the dazzling virtuosity of Rachmaninov’s Third Piano Concerto with 2024 Leeds International Piano Competition winner Jaeden Izik-Dzurko as soloist, and Stravinsky’s color-saturated The Firebird performed together with new visuals commissioned in partnership with Pacific Symphony and Artis–Naples. These concerts will take place as part of the National Concert Hall’s Spring/Summer season, full details of which will be announced in October.

Speaking of his appointment, Alexander Shelley commented: “I am deeply honored to be joining National Symphony Orchestra Ireland and to become part of an organization so devoted to making music a central force in Ireland’s cultural life. I’m inspired by the extraordinary artistry of the Orchestra’s musicians, with whom I already share many happy memories, and by the bold vision of its leadership and stewards. On a personal note, this appointment holds special significance for me: my mother, whose parents were from Limerick and Mayo, was born in Dún Laoghaire and went to school in Monkstown, just a few miles from the National Concert Hall. My brother and his family reside in Dublin. I look forward to this next chapter with great anticipation.”

Welcoming Alexander’s appointment, Maura McGrath, Chairperson and Robert Read, CEO of the National Concert Hall commented: “The National Concert Hall is delighted to welcome Alexander Shelley as Principal Conductor of National Symphony Orchestra Ireland. This appointment is a significant milestone for both the orchestra and for the National Concert Hall and another step in the organization’s commitment to the orchestra since its transfer from RTÉ in January 2022. 

We welcome Alexander at a significant moment in the National Concert Hall’s own history, as we progress plans for an ambitious redevelopment project that will transform our spaces and enhance our ability to serve artists, audiences, and the community for generations to come. We look forward to Alexander being an important part of the next stage in our journey.”

Announcing his appointment, Joe Csibi, Head of Orchestra and Chorus at the National Concert Hall, commented: “It is my great pleasure to announce Alexander in this key role of Principal Conductor of National Symphony Orchestra Ireland. We welcome Alexander as a friend, having worked with him as a guest conductor on many occasions over the past decade. In February of this year, we had a rich, rewarding and fun time rehearsing and performing Brahms Violin Concerto, with Simone Lamsma as soloist, and Schumann’s ‘Rhenish’ Symphony in Leisureland, Galway and at the National Concert Hall.

Alexander’s career is going from strength to strength, his relationships and associations with international orchestras being testament to that. He brings an abundance of energy and commitment as well as a touching love of life and music to whatever he does. His encyclopedic knowledge of repertoire, his enquiring mind and his appetite for discovery and adventure in music are great gifts to us all. We are hugely excited to explore a range of creative orchestral experiences with him over the coming years and to share these with audiences.”