M I C H A E L F R A N C I S
Conductor Michael Francis has quickly
established himself internationally. Known for
maintaining a diverse repertoire while paying
particular homage to the composers of his native
Britain, Francis enjoys great reception throughout
North America, Europe and Asia.
This season, Francis debuts with Berlin Radio
Symphony, Philharmonia, and the Minnesota and
Pacific symphony orchestras. He returns to Komische Oper Berlin,
Seoul Philharmonic, and the Milwaukee and Indianapolis symphony
orchestras. Furthermore, he will conduct the international ARD
competition with Bavarian Radio Symphony.
Other guest and return appearances in North America have
included the Cleveland Orchestra and the orchestras of New
York, Cincinnati, Houston, Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Montreal, Toronto
and Ottawa. His European engagements have included Dresden
Philharmonic, MDR Leipzig, Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie
Rheinland-Pflaz, Helsinki Philharmonic, Orquesta Sinfónica de
has worked with the London Symphony, Royal Philharmonic, BBC
Philharmonic, BBC National Orchestra of Wales and BBC Scottish
Symphony. In Asia, Francis has conducted the NHK Symphony,
National Symphony Orchestra of Taiwan as well as the Hong Kong
and Japan philharmonics, and he has returned to the Malaysia and
Seoul philharmonics.
Working with young musicians has always been a priority
for Francis. Aside from a six-city Canadian tour with the National
Youth Orchestra of Canada, he has made frequent visits to Miami’s
New World Symphony and recently returned to the National Youth
Orchestra of Scotland.
After several years as a tenured double-bass player in the
London Symphony Orchestra (LSO), he came to prominence as a
for concerts with the LSO during the BBC’s Gubaidulina festival at
the Barbican Centre. Just one month later, Francis was asked, this
time with only two hours’ notice, to replace the composer/conductor
John Adams in a performance of his own works with the LSO at
replaced André Previn leading a German tour of the Stuttgart Radio
Symphony with Anne-Sophie Mutter.
Soloists that he works with include Lang Lang, Arcadi Volodos,