Ryan Bancroft

Since beginning his tenure as Chief Conductor in Stockholm, Bancroft has led the orchestra on a major European tour in spring 2026 and given performances at the Schleswig Holstein Festival, the Elbphlharmonie in Hamburg and Lubeck. In Spring 2027, they will embark on another European tour performing in Vienna, Amsterdam, Cologne, Antwerp, and Munich.  During his time as Chief Conductor, Bancroft has conducted the world premieres of a number of works by composers such as Anders Hillborg, Chrichan Larson and Đuro Živković, whilst collaborating with renowned soloists including Emmanuel Ax, Leif Ove Andsnes, Maxim Vengerov and Víkingur Ólafsson. In 26/27, Bancroft will continue to feature works by Swedish composers such as Anders Hillborg, Britta Byström and Benjamin Staern.

Highlights of the 26/27 season include, in addition to concerts with the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, debuts with the Munich Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic, Sydney Symphony and Queensland Symphony orchestras. He will also return to orchestras including San Francisco Symphony, Finnish Radio Symphony, Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, Scottish Chamber and appears twice with the Philharmonia in London and on tour to Mauritius. He will also make his return to the Colorado Music Festival. Throughout the season, Bancroft collaborates with soloists including Emmanuel Ax, Seong-Jin Cho, Bruce Liu, Vilde Frang, Clara-Jumi Kang, Renaud Capuçon and Kian Soltani.

In recent seasons, Bancroft has conducted leading international orchestras, such as the London Symphony, London Philharmonic, Rotterdam Philharmonic, NDR Elbphilharmonie, WDR Cologne, NHK Symphony, Swedish Radio Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Cleveland Orchestra.

Bancroft has a passion for contemporary music and has performed with Ensemble Intercontemporain, Amsterdam’s acclaimed Nieuw Ensemble, assisted Pierre Boulez in a performance of his Sur Incises in Los Angeles, premiered works by Sofia Gubaidulina, John Cage, Mark-Anthony Turnage and has worked closely with improvisers such as Wadada Leo Smith and Charlie Haden. 

Bancroft studied trumpet at the California Institute of the Arts, alongside additional studies in harp, flute, cello, and Ghanaian music and dance. He went on to complete an MMus in orchestral conducting from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. While studying in Scotland he played trumpet with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra on many occasions. He continued his conducting studies in the Netherlands and is a graduate of the prestigious Nationale Master Orkestdirectie run jointly by the Conservatorium van Amsterdam and the Royal Conservatoire of The Hague. As a student, his main mentors were Edward Carroll, Kenneth Montgomery, Ed Spanjaard and Jac van Steen. 

2026/27 season / 491 words. Not to be altered without permission.