Thomas Zehetmair remains Chief Conductor until 2027
Thomas Zehetmair extends conctract until 2027
Thomas Zehetmair has extended his contract as Chief Conductor of the Stuttgarter Kammerorchester (SKO) ahead of schedule: a continuation of their successful collaboration has been agreed upon until the end of the 2026/27 season. Since 2019, Zehetmair has shaped the orchestra's profile, refining its distinctive sound, particularly in the Baroque, Classical, and Modern repertoires.
"It’s a dream," Zehetmair says of the extension. "Over the years, a process of growing together has taken place, not least thanks to many shared recordings and two wonderful tours. Everyone is pulling in the same direction, and at just the right time, our Beethoven project is starting —there's so much enthusiasm from all sides, and I truly enjoy the atmosphere of a fantastic team here in Stuttgart, both musically and organizationally."
"It’s a mutual friendship that has developed," says SKO’s Managing Director Markus Korselt. "We are thrilled about the contract extension!"
Born in Salzburg in 1961, Thomas Zehetmair has been the Chief Conductor of the Stuttgarter Kammerorchester since the 2019/2020 season and has been Chef principal of the Orchestre National d'Auvergne since September 2021. He began his musical career as a violinist, but from the outset of his soloist career, he also engaged in conducting. Today, he is active as a conductor worldwide and has held positions such as Chief Conductor of the Orchestre de Chambre de Paris and long-time Artistic Partner of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra (USA). From 2002 to 2014, he served as Music Director — and remains Conductor Laureate — of the Royal Northern Sinfonia, shaping it into one of the leading orchestras in England.
As a soloist, Zehetmair has received several accolades, including three "Gramophone Awards." His new recording of Bach's Sei Solo on Baroque violin won the 2020 Opus Klassik Award for Best Solo Recording. The New York Times featured this CD at the top of their 2019 best-of list, and it was also one of the six recommendations of the year by Die Zeit. Thomas Zehetmair is the founder of the Zehetmair Quartet, which has been active since 1994.
Another major milestone for him and the Stuttgarter Kammerorchester is the recent launch of “Das Beethoven-Projekt”. By 2027, they will perform and record all 9 of Beethoven’s symphonies in Dolby Atmos for SKO records.