Edo de Waart is the Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. Renowned as an “orchestral builder” who has the enviable ability to transform his orchestras into world-class ensembles, Edo de Waart has held such distinguished positions as Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Sydney Symphony, Chief Conductor of the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic, Chief Conductor of the Netherlands Opera, as well as Music Director of the Rotterdam Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony and Minnesota Orchestras. Maestro de Waart has extended his artistic direction of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra to 2012. Last year, he was appointed Chief Conductor of the prestigious summer opera festival - Santa Fe Opera. He will also take up the Music Directorship of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra from the 2009/10 Season.

As an opera conductor, Edo de Waart has enjoyed success in many of the great opera houses of the world, including Covent Garden, Bayreuth, Paris Opera and the Metropolitan Opera. He has led highly regarded Wagner Ring Cycles in San Francisco and Sydney. He has conducted a series of critically acclaimed concert performances of Salome, Elektra, Der Rosenkavalier and Madama Butterfly with the Hong Kong Philharmonic.

Edo de Waart is in constant demand as a guest conductor, regularly appearing with the world’s leading symphony orchestras and musicians. His extensive recording catalogue encompasses releases for Philips, Virgin, EMI, Telarc and RCA. For the Japanese label Octavia/Exton, he has recorded the complete orchestral works by Rachmaninov and overtures of Wagner with the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic.

Maestro de Waart has received a number of awards for his outstanding achievements in music. He is a Knight in the Order of the Dutch Lion and he was recently awarded the Order of Australia – a reflection of his invaluable contribution to Australian cultural life during his decade with the Sydney Symphony. He was appointed an Honorary Fellow of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts in recognition of his contribution to music internationally, and in particular, his commitment to developing future generations of musicians in Hong Kong.