Born in Sussex, England, Mark Wigglesworth studied music at Manchester University and conducting at the Royal Academy of Music in London. Whilst still a student he formed The Premiere Ensemble, an orchestra committed to performing a new piece in every programme. A few weeks after leaving the Academy he won the Kondrashin International Conducting Competition in the Netherlands, and since then has worked with many of the leading orchestras and opera companies of the world. In 1992 he became Associate Conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra and further appointments included Principal Guest Conductor of the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra and Music Director of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. Highlights of his time with the BBCNOW included several visits to the BBC Proms, a performance of Mahler’s tenth symphony at the prestigious Amsterdam Mahler Festival, and a six-part television series for the BBC entitled Everything to play for.

In addition to concerts with most of the UK’s orchestras, Mark Wigglesworth has guest conducted many of the finest ensembles in Europe and North America. He also has a huge commitment to making music with young people. Having conducted the Dutch National Youth Orchestra on several occasions since 1990 he has collaborated with many of Holland’s finest musicians from the earliest stages of their careers. Passionate about passing on his experiences to a younger generation, he has also performed with the European Union Youth Orchestra, the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, and the Aspen Music Festival Orchestra, as well as giving Conducting Masterclasses in London, Stockholm and Amsterdam.

Equally at home in the Opera House, Mark Wigglesworth started his operatic career with a period as Music Director of Opera Factory, London. Since then he has worked regularly at Glyndebourne, Welsh National Opera and English National Opera. He has also conducted at the Netherlands Opera, La Monnaie in Brussels, the Sydney Opera House, the Metropolitan Opera, New York, and the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.

In the studio, Mark’s recordings have centred around a project with BIS Records to record all the symphonies of Shostakovich.