Philipp von Steinaecker

Drawing on a profound knowledge of musical style, Philipp von Steinaecker is a thoughtful, versatile conductor, whose reputation is growing steadily, whether for German Romantic, Second Viennese School or Baroque repertoire.

His extensive work focusing on historically informed performance practice inspired him to create the Mahler Academy’s ‘originalklang’ project, a critically acclaimed venture bringing together professionals and young musicians to rediscover the original sound of Mahler’s Viennese orchestra, using a carefully selected collection of period instruments.

Steinaecker’s list of orchestras continues to expand, and includes Antwerp Symphony, Orchestre de Chambre de Paris, Tokyo Metropolitan and Mahler Chamber Orchestra as well as the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra, where he served as Principal Guest Conductor. He also brings his stylistic authority to opera, with critically acclaimed productions including Mozart’s The Magic Flute at the Teatro Filarmonico di Verona, Die Csárdásfürstin at the Teatro Comunale in Bolzano, and Gounod’s La colombe at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana.

He has been profoundly influenced by the mentorship of Claudio Abbado, with whom he first worked as a cellist and founding member of Mahler Chamber Orchestra, and then as assistant and guest conductor of Abbado’s Orchestra Mozart. He also worked extensively with Sir John Eliot Gardiner as a member of the Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique.

His discography includes recordings of Handel’s Messiah, Haydn’s Creation (nominated for International Classic Music Award 2015), Bruckner’s Symphony No.1, Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde and an album featuring a collection of arias by Mozart and Gluck with soprano Camilla Tilling.