Nicholas Milton, conductor
General Music Director of the Göttinger Symphonie Orchester
Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Canberra Symphony Orchestra
Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Willoughby Symphony Orchestra
Principal Guest Conductor of the Norddeutsche Philharmonie Rostock
Chief Conductor of the Stadttheater Klagenfurt
Renowned for his charismatic stage presence, powerful interpretations and compelling musical integrity, Nicholas Milton continues to attract international attention as one of the most outstanding Australian conductors working today.
Nicholas Milton has just commenced his first season as Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Göttingen Symphony Orchestra (Germany). He is also Principal Guest Conductor of the North German Philharmonic Orchestra (Rostock), Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Canberra Symphony Orchestra (Australia) and Artistic Director of the Willoughby Symphony Orchestra in Sydney.
As General Music Director and Chief Conductor of the State Opera House in Saarbrücken, Germany (Saarländisches Staatstheater) (2014 – 2018) and as a guest conductor during the last seasons at the Deutsche Oper and Komische Oper (Berlin), Volksoper (Vienna), and in Dortmund, Leipzig, Linz, Innsbruck and Sydney, Nicholas Milton’s repertoire has included Salome, Tannhäuser, Der Fliegende Holländer, Peter Grimes, Kátja Kabanová, Tosca, La Bohème, Madama Butterfly, La Fanciulla del West, Falstaff, Un Ballo in maschera, La Traviata, Hänsel und Gretel, Carmen, Don Giovanni, Così fan tutte und Die Zauberflöte. Future engagements include La Bohème and Madama Butterfly for Opera Australia (Sydney) as well as productions at the Deutsche Oper Berlin and the Kärntner Landestheater (Klagenfurt).
The only Australian conductor ever nominated for a Grammy award, Nicholas Milton’s concert engagements include appearances with leading orchestras in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, England, Hungary, France, Spain, the Netherlands and Asia, among them, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Konzerthausorchester Berlin, NDR Sinfonieorchester Hamburg and Radiophilharmonie Hannover, SWR Radio Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart, Deutsche Radio Philharmonie Saarbrücken, Stuttgart Philharmonic, Dortmund Philharmonic, Staatsorchester Wiesbaden, Staatsorchester Darmstadt, Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz, Orchester des Nationaltheaters Mannheim, Bruckner Orchester Linz, Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana, Sinfonia Varsovia, Nagoya Philharmonic, and China National Symphony Orchestra.
Appointed as the youngest-ever concertmaster of a major Australian orchestra, Nicholas Milton enjoyed a distinguished career as a violinist and chamber musician before dedicating himself exclusively to conducting. He was Concertmaster and Associate Conductor of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and Violinist of Australia’s Macquarie Trio. He has served as Chief Conductor of the Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra, Chief Conductor of the Innviertler Symphonie Orchester (Austria) and General Music Director of the Jena Philharmonic Orchestra (2004 – 2010).
Nicholas studied at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Michigan State University, Mannes College of Music and the Juilliard School. He holds four Master degrees, in Violin, Conducting, Music Theory and Philosophy, and a Doctorate in Music from the City University of New York. Mentored at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki by the legendary Jorma Panula, he also served as Assistant Conductor to Mariss Jansons on an extensive European and United States tour with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Milton won the 1999 Symphony Australia Conductor of the Year Competition and was a prize-winner in the Lovro von Matačić International Competition of Young Conductors. In 2001, Dr. Milton was awarded the Australian Centenary Medal for Service to Australian Society and the Advancement of Music. He also received the 2014-15 College of Music Distinguished Alumni Award from Michigan State University. In 2015, he was invited by the Australian Prime Minister to join the Australia-Germany Advisory Group and in 2016 he was named a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for Significant Service to the Arts as Musician, Conductor and Artistic Director.
Nicholas Milton’s discography includes about 50 CD recordings. He was nominated for a 2016 Grammy Award in the category, Best Classical Instrumental Solo, for his recording with Joseph Moog of Piano Concertos by Grieg and Moszkowski. Numerous forthcoming CD recordings with the Konzerthausorchester Berlin and the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie Saarbrücken Kaiserslautern are scheduled for release on the Onyx and CPO labels.
