The internationally-renowned German-Colombian maestro succeeds Daniele Rustioni as the Orchestra’s new Chief Conductor.
The Ulster Orchestra is delighted to announce that Anna Handler will be its new Chief Conductor from September 2026.
Joining an impressive and venerable list of conductors who have worked with the Orchestra including Vernon Handley, Bryden Thomson, Yan Pascal Tortelier and, more recently, Rafael Payare and Daniele Rustioni, Anna Handler is at a stage in her own career that makes a partnership with the Ulster Orchestra a dynamic prospect – just last week making her Boston Symphony Orchestra subscription series debut at short notice, with violinist Joshua Bell. Handler, a former Gustavo Dudamel Fellow and current Assistant Conductor at the Boston Symphony Orchestra, also began her tenure as Kapellmeister of Deutsche Oper Berlin in September 2025.
During her tenure, Anna looks forward to working in partnership with the Orchestra to grow the artistic identity of the organisation in breadth and depth, taking the level of performance to new heights on the international stage. Her leadership, which is founded on respect for shared musical roots, staying curious and opening the Orchestra’s sound to the future, is inspirational and the Ulster Orchestra is excited for this new phase of its development.
Reflecting on the appointment, Anna Handler says;
Over the next three years, we’ll ask what it means to be an orchestra that belongs to now: alive, questioning, connected. Every phrase a conversation, every silence a choice.
"We’ll play as if it were the first or the last time - because real music doesn’t perform; it becomes. I feel deeply honoured to lead this journey - together, with the Ulster Orchestra musicians and the wider team. I feel grateful for their trust to have been chosen as their new chief conductor – a responsibility I carry with joy and curiosity."
Auveen Sands, Ulster Orchestra Chief Executive and Patrick McCarthy, Artistic Director, commented;
“Of Anna’s many remarkable qualities, her ability to genuinely connect with musicians and audiences is what makes this such an exciting appointment. That ability was immediately evident in a recent concert in Derry~Londonderry’s Guildhall, bringing a new energy and collaborative spirit to the Ulster Orchestra’s superb music making. We’ve already agreed on some exciting and deeply meaningful programmes for next year, and can’t wait to share them with audiences in Northern Ireland, and beyond.
Ciaran Scullion, Head of Music at the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, added:
“Anna Handler’s creativity, knowledge and extensive experience will bring a further rich dimension to the Ulster Orchestra's work, identity and output over the next 3 years. The Arts Council established the Ulster Orchestra in 1966 and has been its principal public funder ever since. We are delighted to see Anna join as Chief Conductor at a time when the Orchestra's artistic profile and reach continue to rise.”
Anna Handler’s first concert as Chief Conductor of the Ulster Orchestra will be the opening concert of the Orchestra’s 60th anniversary Season, in the Ulster Hall on Friday 25 September 2026.
