Kahchun Wong

Conductor

Home
Reviews
Features
Discography

“There is something really sincere and genuine in the way he communicates with the orchestra, and he conducts with assurance and warmth which must stem from his deep understanding of the score.”
(Bachtrack)

Praised by Musical America for the “depth and sincerity of his musicality”, Kahchun Wong will assume the role of Chief Conductor of the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra from 2023/24, building upon the deep musical bond forged with players during his time as Principal Guest Conductor of the orchestra. In the same season, he will also serve as “focus-artist” at Dresdner Philharmonie alongside Gautier Capuçon, Patricia Kopachinskaya and Cameron Carpenter.

In his final appearance as Chief Conductor of the Nürnberger Symphoniker this past summer, Wong led the world premiere of his orchestration of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition to critical acclaim with an audience of 75,000 at the annual Klassik Open Air in Luitpoldhain. This sinfonia concertante version, specially composed for folk instrumental soloists from the Singapore Chinese Orchestra, was also widely broadcast on 3SAT and BR-Klassik.

Wong is celebrated by the press for his recent debuts with New York Philharmonic, Czech Philharmonic and Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, and has also successfully appeared with Cleveland Orchestra, Detroit Symphony, Dresdner Philharmonie, Bamberger Symphoniker, Konzerthausorchester Berlin, Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, Orchestre national d’Île-de-France, Luxembourg Philharmonic, Valencia Orchestra, China Philharmonic, Shanghai Symphony, Guangzhou Symphony, New Japan Philharmonic, Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra and Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra.

In 2023 and 2024, Wong’s guest appearances include returns to Cleveland Orchestra, Seattle Symphony, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Osaka Philharmonic and Singapore Symphony, in addition to debuts with London Philharmonic, Hallé Orchestra, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Orchestre symphonique de Québec, Taipei Symphony Orchestra and Taipei Chinese Orchestra.

Wong believes in the power of music to inspire young musicians and foster their growth, mirroring his own journey as a musician from a young Southeast Asian country. In 2016, after winning the Gustav Mahler Conducting Competition, he co-founded ‘Project Infinitude’ with Marina Mahler, the granddaughter of the renowned composer. He has also worked closely with Child at Street 11, a nonprofit Singaporean agency supporting more than 100 children from underserved and diverse backgrounds. In 2019, together with BR-Klassik and Stadtsparkasse Nürnberg, he conceived and led a collaborative television project that raised donations for a nonprofit association for children in Germany.

In December 2019, Wong became the first artist from Singapore to receive the Order of Merit by the Federal President of Germany for his dedicated service and outstanding achievements in Singaporean-German cultural relations and the advancement of German musical culture abroad.