Kahchun Wong

Conductor

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Kahchun Wong Biography English

“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)

Chief Conductor: Japan Philharmonic Orchestra (from 2023/24)
Principal Guest Conductor: Dresdner Philharmonie (from 2023/24)
Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor: The Hallé (from 2024/25)

Internationally acclaimed for his electrifying stage presence and thoughtful exploration of Eastern and Western artistic legacies, Singaporean-born Kahchun Wong is Chief Conductor of Japan Philharmonic Orchestra and Principal Guest Conductor of Dresden Philharmonic. From the 2024/25 season, he succeeds Sir Mark Elder as Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor of The Hallé, leading one of the UK’s most prestigious orchestras while maintaining a strong presence in Europe, Asia, and the United States.

After successful debuts at the Blossom Music Festival and Severance Hall, Wong returns to The Cleveland Orchestra in January 2025 for a concert tour of Florida. Further highlights in 2025 include the release of Britten’s The Prince of the Pagodas, Bruckner’s Symphony No.9, and Mahler’s Symphony No.2 on the Hallé label, conducting Japan Philharmonic Orchestra’s 50^th Anniversary Tour of Kyushu, and a Dresden Philharmonic recording with Olivier Latry, titular organist of Notre-Dame Cathedral. He will also make his Royal Festival Hall debut with London Philharmonic Orchestra and appear with China National Symphony Orchestra in Beijing, alongside returning to Osaka Philharmonic and Singapore Symphony orchestras.

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

Since winning the Mahler Competition in 2016, Wong has guest-conducted renowned orchestras such as New York Philharmonic, The Cleveland, Detroit Symphony, Seattle Symphony, London Philharmonic, BBC Symphony, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and Czech Philharmonic orchestras, Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, as well as Hong Kong Philharmonic, Shanghai Symphony, Osaka Philharmonic, Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony and Yomiuri Nippon Symphony orchestras. Highlights of 2024/25 include the release of Britten’s The Prince of the Pagodas on the Hallé label, leading Japan Philharmonic Orchestra’s 50^th anniversary tour of Kyushu, a recording project with Dresdner Philharmonie featuring Olivier Latry, titular organist of Notre-Dame Cathedral, his debuts with Düsseldorfer Symphoniker and China National Symphony Orchestra, as well as returning to The Cleveland Orchestra and Singapore Symphony Orchestra.

Since winning the Mahler Competition in 2016, Wong has been a strong advocate for contemporary composers. He has led the US premiere of Tan Dun’s Fire Ritual with New York Philharmonic Orchestra, the UK premiere of Toshio Hosokawa’s Prayer with BBC Symphony Orchestra at the Barbican, and the world premiere of Reena Esmail’s Concerto for Hindustani Violin, written for Kala Ramnath, with Seattle Symphony Orchestra.

Wong has collaborated with a wide range of internationally renowned soloists, including Nelson Freire, Thomas Hampson, Barbara Hannigan, Gerhard Oppitz, Christian Tetzlaff, Patricia Kopatchinskaya, Gautier Capuçon, Daniel Lozakovich, Mao Fujita, Sergei Nakariakov, and Vilde Frang.

In December 2019, Wong was awarded the Order of Merit by the Federal President of Germany in the presence of then-President Halimah Yacob in Berlin, recognising his contributions to Singaporean-German cultural relations and his role in promoting German music internationally.