François-Xavier Roth
© Wolf-Peter Steinheißer
Engine of Change
Conductor
Chief Conductor and Artistic Director, SWR Symphony Orchestra
Principal Guest Conductor, London Symphony Orchestra
Related links
Contact
‘If he hasn’t already got the nickname Special FX, then Roth should adopt it… empathetic musicality and flair for colour, sometimes conjuring up such startling touches that the players look stunned’
The Times
One of today’s most imaginative conductors and programmers, François-Xavier Roth is a charismatic communicator with a voracious intellectual curiosity. He brings fresh perspectives to every kind of classical music, whether performing Baroque music and Stravinsky on original instruments, leading large-scale iconic modern masterpieces, or presenting standard favourites. Beyond the concert hall, Roth is deeply committed to education and outreach.
Through nurturing long-term musical partnerships, Roth pursues his vision of developing distinctive orchestral sounds and engaging with local audiences, a goal which he has achieved with successive orchestras. In September 2025 he became Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of SWR Symphonieorchester.
‘Reviews of François-Xavier Roth’s regularly praised recordings in our pages all hint at one thing: there’s never anything routine about his approach, the sound or the vision’
Gramophone
