Auckland Philharmonia has today announced that its Music Director, Giordano Bellincampi, will take up the role of Music Director Laureate from the conclusion of its 2027 Season.
The Italian-Danish conductor has been honoured with the title in recognition of his immense impact on the orchestra’s artistic excellence and international standing. This honour also celebrates Bellincampi’s 12-year tenure in 2027 as Auckland Philharmonia’s Music Director — a period of artistic growth, creativity and dedication to excellence — and the longest tenure ever held in this role.
This announcement comes ahead of the orchestra’s 2027 Season launch this October, Bellincampi’s final season as Music Director. Throughout this season, Auckland Philharmonia will say ‘Grazie Giordano’ with a sensational programme featuring some of his signature repertoire and standout soloists.
“It’s been my privilege to lead Auckland Philharmonia’s immensely talented musicians as Music Director and seeing the orchestra’s growth and development over this time has brought me such joy. The key to such a successful partnership has been our shared passion for music, drive to push creative boundaries and continual pursuit of excellence.
“I’d like also to express my gratitude to our audiences in Auckland Philharmonia’s home, the Auckland Town Hall, as they have made every single concert a special and heartwarming moment for me. When I walk onto the stage I feel the excitement, the warmth, the love that is between us, and when the orchestra starts to play the music, there really is magic in the air.
“There have been so many unforgettable highlights and memories throughout my time here, and I know that 2027 will be another sensational season. While it will be an emotional moment when I lead the Auckland Phil for the last time as Music Director at a concert in late November 2027, I’m honoured to accept the orchestra’s invitation to continue as a lifelong member of the orchestra in the role of Music Director Laureate,” says Giordano Bellincampi.
Since his debut at the orchestra’s artistic helm in 2016, Bellincampi has played a pivotal role in Auckland Philharmonia’s development and success, appointing 52 musicians to the ensemble during his tenure.
His focus on building the orchestra’s mastery of the core Central European repertoire has also been instrumental to the orchestra’s artistic growth. Highlights during his tenure have included the complete Beethoven symphony cycle for the 250th anniversary of Beethoven's birth, Strauss’ tone poems An Alpine Symphony and Ein Heldenleben, his masterful interpretations of Mendelssohn, Schubert, Schumann, Mozart and Haydn, and above all, every note of Brahms he has ever conducted with this orchestra.
He has also been a key driver behind expanding the orchestra’s repertoire into less frequently performed works, including the complete Roman Trilogy by Respighi, most of Nielsen’s major works and several world premieres of works by New Zealand and international composers.
His passion and expertise conducting opera has raised the profile of Auckland Philharmonia’s annual Opera in Concert. These semi-staged productions featuring a cast of internationally renowned singers are a highlight of every season and have featured repertoire from Mozart and Puccini, through to the hugely acclaimed New Zealand premiere of Korngold's Die Tote Stadt in 2023 and an unforgettable 2024 performance of Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde.
Bellincampi’s impact on the growth of New Zealand orchestral talent has reached far beyond the concert hall. He played a key role in the establishment of the New Zealand Assistant Conductor-in-Residence programme, and through this initiative he provides invaluable support and mentoring for early career conductors in the Australasian region, helping them to build a solid foundation to launch their professional career.
Auckland Philharmonia’s Chief Executive, Diana Weir, says, "Giordano Bellincampi’s 12 years of leadership has transformed the orchestra both artistically and reputationally, leaving a profound legacy on the organisation and for our community. His dedication to artistic excellence and ensemble-building has seen the orchestra transition from a solid group of freelance professionals to one employing its members on full-time salaries, a benchmark that places the Auckland Philharmonia in the same company as some of the world’s most respected orchestral institutions.
“A prescient appointment in 2015 by former Chief Executive Barb Glaser, Giordano Bellincampi’s tenure as Music Director has been marked by his very special partnership with the musicians of Auckland Philharmonia, as evidenced in both their music-making and warm audience rapport. I feel privileged to have worked alongside him and look forward to celebrating his impact and legacy throughout the 2027 Season."
The orchestra is underway in its search for a new Music Director.