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SINGAPORE – Finnish conductor Hannu Lintu will take over from Austrian conductor Hans Graf as the Singapore Symphony Orchestra’s (SSO) music director from July 2026, the orchestra announced on Jan 15.
The 57-year-old will be the fourth person to hold the title since the orchestra was formed in 1979. Its former music directors are SSO founder and Singaporean conductor Choo Hoey, who held the title between 1979 and 1996; American conductor Lan Shui, between 1997 and 2019; and Graf, who assumed the role in 2022.
The SSO also announced a $3 million gift by a Singaporean donor related to hedge fund manager Quantedge Capital. The largest single personal donation since the orchestra’s inception will see the music director position named the Quantedge Music Director effective immediately.
Lintu is the music director of the Lisbon-based Gulbenkian Orchestra and chief conductor of the Finnish National Opera and Ballet. He studied piano and cello at the Sibelius Academy, and conducting under Finnish maestro Jorma Panula.
Lintu, who has guest conducted the SSO since 2017, said in a statement: “The SSO is an orchestra with a vibrant energy, as well as a passion and dedication to artistic growth.
“I look forward to collaborating with these wonderful musicians and the wider community, and to exploring new creative heights and engaging deeply with audiences both here in Singapore and internationally.”
He was identified as Graf’s successor after a year-long search by a committee led by Singapore Symphony Group chairman Goh Yew Lin, who described Lintu as “an artist of uncommon breadth”.
Lintu is renowned for his dynamic interpretations of a broad repertoire, which spans symphonic, operatic and contemporary music.
Graf – who has led the SSO since 2020 – will remain as the SSO’s music director until the end of the 2025/26 season, including the orchestra’s debut Australian tour starting at the Sydney Opera House on Feb 12.
Austrian maestro Hans Graf, who has been music director with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra since 2022, will step down in 2026. PHOTO: SINGAPORE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
SSO chief executive Kenneth Kwok praised Graf’s “formidable skill” in leading the orchestra through the Covid-19 restrictions and emerging from the pandemic. He said: “We understand his decision to step down after the 2025/26 season to adopt a less hectic pace of life, and we wish him all the best.”
Graf, reflecting on his time with the orchestra, said: “The musicians’ resilience and energy are a testament to the spirit of the orchestra and its audiences, and it is with joy and confidence that I look forward to seeing Hannu Lintu further inspire and elevate this wonderful ensemble.”
Lintu has been appointed for an initial three-year term with the SSO. Prior to assuming the role from the 2026/27 season, he will guest conduct the orchestra for two weeks in the 2025/26 season as music director designate.
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