André de Ridder collaborates with artists and ensembles such as the Hallé Orchestra, cartoon band Gorillaz, jazz musician Uri Caine and Chicago Symphony’s MusicNOW series as well as Radiohead guitarist Johnny Greenwood and Bryce Dessner from The National. His passion for the development of contemporary music – covering the classical, pop and opera worlds – has contributed to his position as ‘one of the world’s most daring conductors’ (The Wall Street Journal). He performs regularly at international festivals, including BBC Proms, Holland Festival, Manchester International Festival, Venice Biennale, and was Artist in Residence at Sydney Festival 2013.
The 14/15 season opening is marked by festival appearances of his musical collective ‘stargaze’ following their successful festival launch at Berlin’s Volksbühne last season featuring a line up of world premieres and new collaborations including Nico Muhly, Bryce Dessner, Ben Shemie with artists Tyondai Braxton, Mouse on Mars, My Brightest Diamond and Pekka Kuusisto. Particularly interested in the developments of contemporary pop/folk/electronica and ‘uncategorisable genres’ the ensemble appears at the Haldern – and Into The Great Wide Open
Festivals as ensemble in residence. Further appearances include the Kilkenny Arts Festival with The Dodos, Berlin collaborating with Grant Hart, an appearance at the Muziekgebouw Amsterdam with These New Puritans as well as London’s Barbican Centre later this autumn.
De Ridder will also return to London’s Southbank Centre for the UK premiere of Terry Riley’s organ concerto At the Royal Majestic with Carmeron Carpenter and the BBC Concert Orchestra. Re-invitations include orchestras such as London Sinfonietta, BBC NOW, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Residentie Orkest, Orchestre de Paris, Copenhagen Philharmonic where he is Artistic Director of their “60 Minutes” series, La Poisson Rouge, Chicago Symphony Orchestra and three performances with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra at the Metropolis New Music Festival.
In the opera field de Ridder will lead his debut production at Finnish National Opera for the Finnish premiere of Kaija Saariaho’s opera Emilie. He will further conduct revival performances of Monteverdi’s Orpheus and Odysseus following the extensive project taking place at Berlin’s Komische Oper last year performing and taking a creative role in arranging three Monteverdi operas in a new version by Elena Kats-Chernin directed by Barrie Kosky.
De Ridder’s discography includes Damon Albarn’s Dr Dee (Virgin), Gorillaz’ album Plastic Beach (EMI), Max Richter’s The Four Seasons Recomposed (DG) and, most recently, a recording with Copenhagen Philharmonic of works by Bryce Dessner and Johnny Greenwood (DG). The Max Richter recording was awarded an ECHO Klassik ‘Classic Without Borders’ award 2013.
André de Ridder studied at the Music Academies of Vienna and London, under Leopold Hager and Sir Colin Davis and held the position of Assistant Conductor at the Hallé Orchestra, 2005-2006. He was principal conductor of Sinfonia ViVA until 2012.
(read more at André de Ridder official site