Antony Hermus

Antony Hermus is permanent guest conductor of the North Netherlands Orchestra, artistic adviser and permanent guest conductor of the National Youth Orchestra of the Netherlands (NJO) and principal guest conductor of Opera North. During the NJO Winter Tour 2021 he will be conducting the National Youth Orchestra.

Having firmly established his symphonic career in the Netherlands – where he regularly conducts all the major orchestras – Hermus is increasingly sought-after elsewhere, including the Philharmonia, Royal Philharmonic, BBC Scottish and BBC Philharmonic, Danish National, Orchestre National Belgique, Suisse Romande, Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg, Melbourne Symphony and Seoul Philharmonic. He has a wide repertoire which also encompasses many living composers, and a particularly close relationship with Unsuk Chin, whose Piano Concerto he conducted with Helsingin Kaupunginorkesteri (Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra) and the Sveriges Radios Symphony Orchestra (Symphony Orchestra of the Swedish Radio). In December 2020, he returns to conduct the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.

Antony Hermus rehearsing with the National Youth Orchestra (Photo Nic Limper)

He has conducted extensively and throughout his career in opera houses across Europe, notably in Stuttgart, Strasbourg, Gothenburg, at the Komische Oper Berlin, the Opéra de Paris studio, Essen and the Nederlandse Reisopera. He was due to make his English National Opera debut in Spring 2020 with a new production of Rusalka, until COVID-19 cut short the final rehearsals.

At the age of 29 he became Generalmusikdirektor of the German city of Hagen, where he won many awards for his work. He was Music Director in Dessau since 2009, where he was nominated "Conductor of the Year" by Opernwelt magazine three years in a row. He ended his appointment in the summer of 2015 with his first Ring cycle and promotion to Honorary Conductor.

Antony Hermus studied piano with Jacques de Tiège at the Tilburg Music Conservatory and conducting with Jac van Steen and Georg Fritzsch. He is Visiting Guest Professor at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam.