Ahead of launching its 2025-26 London Season at the Royal Albert Hall on 24th September, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) today announces three new artistic appointments.

 

Sir John Rutter has been appointed as the RPO’s Artist Laureate. Already an Honorary Life Member of the RPO, Sir John Rutter is one of the UK’s most accomplished living composers and is an icon of choral music. Rutter’s appointment recognises his close relationship with the RPO spanning several decades, including composing, arranging, conducting, recording and programming. This special bond will be celebrated on 5th November, when the RPO performs a concert to celebrate Sir John Rutter’s 80th birthday at St Paul’s Cathedral. The concert, conducted by Sir John, will feature the world premiere of “I’ll Make Me A World” specially composed by Rutter for the occasion.

 

Emilia Hoving has been appointed as the RPO’s Associate Conductor for a three-year period starting this season. Having emerged as one of the most exciting young Finnish conductors of today, Hoving’s exceptional talents were demonstrated when she conducted the RPO last season at Cadogan Hall and the Bristol Beacon. 

 

Kevin John Edusei will be the RPO’s Conductor-in-Residence at Cadogan Hall for the 2025-26 season. Edusei will conduct three concerts on Thursday 16 October 2025, Thursday 26 February 2026 and Wednesday 27 May 2026. Sought after on both the concert platform and in the opera pit, Edusei performs regularly with the world’s leading orchestras and opera houses.

 

These artistic appointments build on the Orchestra’s strong strategic foundations laid last year, with Vasily Petrenko extending his contract as Music Director through to 2030 and the RPO’s appointment of Joe Hisaishi – Japan’s most influential composer of film and classical music – as its Composer-in-Association. Add to this the RPO appointing a new Managing Director, Sarah Bardwell, and Tom Philpott as Director of Artistic Planning and Partnerships – this decisive run of appointments further strengthens the RPO’s position as one of the world’s great orchestras, performing in London, across the UK and internationally.

 

Sarah Bardwell, Managing Director at the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, comments: “We are thrilled that Emilia, Sir John and Kevin are taking up these roles at the RPO, as we prepare to launch another milestone UK season in London, across the UK and internationally. The diversity of talents and specialism across our artistic leadership continues to deliver exceptional artistic excellence and supports our work to broaden access to orchestral music at all levels, further inspiring our inclusive approach.” 

 

Sir John Rutter, Artist Laureate at the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, said: “Collaborating with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra throughout many years has been a richly rewarding experience and I am delighted to be continuing to work with them in this capacity.”

Emilia Hoving, Associate Conductor at the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, adds: “I am excited to start this long-term collaboration with such a fantastic orchestra. The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra connects with a range of audiences and I am thrilled to be working with them to continue this ambition.”

Kevin John Edusei, Conductor-in-Residence at the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, comments: “I am really excited to have the opportunity to collaborate with this outstanding group of musicians over the course of a season and to contribute to the artistic vision of the Orchestra.”

 

The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’s 2025-26 London Season starts on 24th September.  The RPO’s 2025-26 Season encompasses performances at four iconic London venues: Royal Albert Hall, Cadogan Hall, Royal Festival Hall, and St Paul’s Cathedral. Beyond London, the Orchestra will perform 24 concerts across 10 towns and cities, including Hull, Northampton, Crawley, Reading, Bristol, Gateshead, Nottingham, Warwick, Guildford, and Aylesbury. 

 

RPO’s unique position in the orchestral world is powered by its mission to enrich lives through orchestral experiences that are uncompromising in their excellence, wide-ranging in their appeal and inclusive in their delivery. Performing approximately 200 concerts each season and with a worldwide live and online audience in excess of 60 million people, the RPO acts as a cultural ambassador for the UK on the world stage and enhances the social and cultural fabric of local communities at home through a wide range of community, education, inclusion and wellbeing programmes. For more information, visit https://www.rpo.co.uk