Rumon Gamba
General Management
British conductor Rumon Gamba is Chief Conductor of the Oulu Sinfonia, a post he has held since January 2022 and which was renewed until 2026, with an option to continue until 2028. Previous positions included Principal Conductor and Music Director of NorrlandsOperan (2008-2015); Chief Conductor of the Aalborg Symfoniorkester (2011-2015), and Chief Conductor and Music Director of Iceland Symphony Orchestra (2002-2010). He regularly leads the BBC orchestras and has appeared at the BBC Proms on a number of occasions.
A champion of new music, Gamba has conducted several high profile premieres including the world premieres of Nico Muhly’s Two Boys at English National Opera; Brett Dean’s Viola Concerto with the composer and BBC Symphony Orchestra; national premieres of Poul Ruders’ Dancer in the Dark and Mark-Anthony Turnage’s Blood on the Floor and Scherzoid with Norrdlands Operan, and the Australian premiere of the original version of Sibelius’ Symphony No.5 with Queensland Symphony Orchestra.
Highlights of Gamba’s recent and future seasons include BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Helsingborg Philharmonic, Helsinki Philharmonic, Goteborgs Symfoniker, Kristiansand Symfoniorkester, Warsaw Philharmonic, Romanian Radio Orchestra, Lahti Symphony, WDR Funkhausorchester, Munich Radio, Joensuu City Orchestra and Filarmonica Banatal.
Rumon Gamba has conducted a number of operatic titles, including Rigoletto at Scottish Opera, Carmen, La bohème, Otello and Candide. In celebration of Umeå’s status as European Capital of Culture, he conducted NorrlandsOperan in an epic outdoor production of Elektra with La Fura dels Baus, which was critically acclaimed. Last season he conducted a Stravinsky ballet double-bill for Finnish National Opera and has conducted productions of The Magic Flute for Oulu Theatre. In 2026 he will conduct a new commission for Oulu Theatre in celebration of Oulu’s European Year of Culture.
Gamba records exclusively for Chandos Records.
Selected reviews
“The accounts of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales are wonderfully sensitive, the solo playing beautifully articulated, the structures perfectly brought out by Rumon Gamba.” - Guy Rickards, Gramophone, reviewing Ruth Gipps recording
“...an outstanding release... The playing from a star studded line-up of talent is a mix of technical brilliance and artistic élan - Rumon Gamba and the composer allowing a generous leash of freedom of expression without recourse to frivolous showmanship. The rewards are obvious.” - Iwan Fox, 4barsrest.com, reviewing Gregson "Music of the Angels"
“Rumon Gamba and the BBC Philharmonic deliver beautiful and insightful performances” - Ralph Graves, WTJU FM, reviewing British Tone Poems Vol.2
“Eric Coates is definitely a composer who deserves the full symphonic orchestra treatment and this lavishly recorded disc is a proof that his unique music is truly immortal. Rumon Gamba has already proved his mettle in the outstanding British Film Music series so he is doubly welcome on this issue.” - Gerald Fenech, Classical.net
“The orchestra had a strong ally in conductor Rumon Gamba, their collaboration pushing the boundaries of the concert experience, forcing the audience to hear anew these works as they might have been perceived at the times of their composition. A most impressive showing from the orchestra and conductor in which the works of three influential composers are given an emotionally engrossing treatment.” - Simon Holden, Bachtrack, reviewing concert with Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra
“The Scottish Opera Orchestra was incisive and colourful under the baton of Rumon Gamba” - Gregor Forbes, Bachtrack, reviewing Rigoletto
“Rumon Gamba with the BBC Philharmonic are the ideal performers for the Schurmann Sound. Conductor and orchestra go to work with full commitment and they congenially succeed in bringing to full effect the colorful and dynamically exciting compositions that Gerhard Schurmann has tailor-made for the films he has set to music. The recording technique does the rest to do justice to this outstanding album.” - High Res Audio, reviewing Film Music of Schurmann recording
“…the Orchestra of the Scottish Opera, under the baton of conductor Rumon Gamba, rarely sounded better.” - Scott Begbie, Society Aberdeen, reviewing Rigoletto
“...conductor Rumon Gamba and the orchestra are on top form.” - Keith Bruce, The Herald, reviewing Rigoletto
“… a dazzling performance, highly contrasted, in which the conductor struck a magnificent balance between the most eager, expressionist passages and the most fast-paced sections... an exhilarating evening, from start to finish” - Pablo Sánchez Quinteiro, Bachtrack, reviewing a concert with the Galician Symphony Orchestra in La Coruña, November 2020
Photographs
Discography
Recordings include:
EDWARD GREGSON
Music of the Angels
London Brass
Rumon Gamba
Chandos, April 2020
CHARLES HUBERT PARRY
Symphony No.4
Proserpine
Three movements from 'Suite moderne'
BBC National Orchestra of Wales
Ladies of BBC National Chorus of Wales
Rumon Gamba
Chandos, October 2018
BRITISH TONE POEMS, VOL.2
Music by Foulds, Fogg, Goossens, Vaughan Williams, Howell, Cowen, Hadley and Bliss
BBC Philharmonic
Rumon Gamba
Chandos, September 2019
RUTH GIPPS
Symphonies 2 & 4
Knight in Armour
Song for Orchestra
BBC National Orchestra of Wales
Rumon Gamba
Chandos, September 2018
GERARD SCHURMANN
Film Music
BBC Philharmonic
Rumon Gamba
Chandos, July 2019
DAG WIREN
Symphony No.3
Serenade for Strings
Divertimento
Sinfonietta
Iceland Symphony Orchestra
Rumon Gamba
Chandos, February 2018
ITTAI SHAPIRA
Midnight Journeys
BBC National Orchestra of Wales
Salman Rushdie
Ittai Shapira
Hagai Shaham
Robert Plane
Thomas Carroll
Rumon Gamba
Chandos, July 2019
MALCOLM ARNOLD
Symphonies 7-9
Oboe Concerto
BBC Philharmonic
Jennifer Galloway
Rumon Gamba
Chandos, August 2001