Peter Whelan is Philharmonia’s Music Director Designate for the 2025/26 season and steps into the role in July 2026.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA (25 June 2025) — Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra & Chorale has selected acclaimed conductor, harpsichordist, solo bassoonist, and Olivier Award winner Peter Whelan as its next Music Director. He will take the reins in the 2026/27 season, becoming the fourth Music Director in the company’s 45-year history. Whelan, a native of Ireland now based in London, will serve an initial three-year term through the 2028/29 season, during which he will lead much of Philharmonia’s annual programming, including subscription concerts and signature initiatives such as SESSIONS and its innovative Jews & Music series. More information on Philharmonia’s 2025/26 season can be found at philharmonia.org.
Whelan’s appointment follows his triumphant debut with Philharmonia in March 2025, conducting Handel’s Alceste to resounding praise from critics, musicians, audiences, and board members. His dynamic artistry, historically informed approach, and magnetic stage presence captivated the Philharmonia community and made a compelling case for his artistic leadership.
“Peter Whelan represents the next generation of Baroque leadership—bold, inquisitive, and deeply musical,” said Philharmonia Executive Director & CEO Emma Moon. “His debut with Alceste was revelatory, and we’re thrilled to welcome him as our next Music Director to shape the future of Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra & Chorale.”
Internationally acclaimed for his leadership of ensembles like the Irish Baroque Orchestra, which he currently directs, Peter Whelan is celebrated for his electrifying presence on the podium and exceptional musical versatility. Renowned for breathing new life into historical repertoire, he brings a vivid, theatrical energy to every performance.
Whelan made his November 2022 debut with San Francisco Opera during its gala Centennial Season, where his Gluck’s Orpheus and Eurydice was met with high praise: “Overseeing the performance was Irish conductor Peter Whelan, an early-music specialist whose first appearance in San Francisco revealed an artist of delicate but unmistakable mastery” (Joshua Kosman, San Francisco Chronicle).
Separately, his work in London has also drawn acclaim. The Times hailed “A thrilling performance of Handel’s oratorio Israel in Egypt” with “a sense of joy and release vividly conveyed under Peter Whelan’s direction.” The Guardian awarded the same concert five stars, declaring, “This vivid choral work could hardly have sounded more exhilarating. Directing from the keyboard, [Whelan] was mostly on his feet, all but dancing from start to finish. The orchestral playing was buoyant as well as sensitive, the choral work dazzling… Versatile is an inadequate description for this multitalented, Irish-born musician.” Of his Vivaldi’s L’Olimpiade at the Royal Opera House, the Telegraph declared, “What keeps this piece going is its constant energy and drive, and that was captured to the full here by the Irish Baroque Orchestra, driven with crackling propulsion from the harpsichord by Peter Whelan.”
In August 2025, Whelan makes his conducting debut at the BBC Proms with a performance of Handel’s Alexander’s Feast alongside the Irish Baroque Orchestra. This milestone marks the ensemble’s first-ever Proms appearance—and only the second time in the festival’s 125-year history that an Irish orchestra has performed there. The concert will feature the modern-day premiere of Handel’s three-part version of the work, which Handel adapted for performances in Dublin in 1742. The choice reflects Whelan’s commitment to historically informed performance and his role at the forefront of uncovering and revitalizing lesser-known Baroque repertoire through rigorous scholarship and lively musicianship.
As Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra & Chorale’s Music Director, he will program the 2026/27 season and formally step into the role in July 2026.
“I’m honored and energized by the chance to join Philharmonia Baroque, a group whose spirit, artistry, and integrity I truly admire. From my time with the orchestra and staff, I’ve been struck by their warmth and the real sense of community and connection they share with each other and with their audience and donors. It’s a privilege to work with passionate musicians who care deeply about the music they perform, and I look forward to exploring new repertoire together, celebrating the beauty of period-authentic performance, and building on the remarkable legacy of this orchestra, which deserves to be recognized and celebrated.”
More details about Whelan’s first season as music director will be announced in early 2026.
