Today, Sarah Quinn, Chair of the London Symphony Orchestra, announced that John Harte will be the next Managing Director of the London Symphony Orchestra.
John Harte has been Chief Executive of Aurora Orchestra since 2009. Alongside Principal Conductor Nicholas Collon and Creative Director Jane Mitchell, John has built Aurora from a startup into one of the most successful new British arts organisations in recent decades. Under their shared leadership the orchestra has developed vibrant residencies at London’s Southbank Centre and Kings Place, as well as delivering critically acclaimed Orchestral Theatre projects, notably as highlights of the BBC Proms. Its work has attracted awards internationally including the Royal Philharmonic Society’s Ensemble Award, the Classical:NEXT Innovation Award and the Grand Prix at the Golden Prague International TV Festival.
John studied history at Cambridge University, where he also sang as a choral scholar. Prior to taking up his position with Aurora, he worked for the British choral label Collegium and completed a doctorate in Middle Eastern History at the School of Oriental and African Studies.
John Harte said:
‘I am thrilled to be joining the LSO, a company whose artistic vibrancy, rich history, and extraordinary social impact I’ve long admired. It’s a privilege to be appointed to the MD role at a moment of such artistic and organisational strength, and I look forward to working closely with players, staff, board and collaborators to take the Orchestra to still greater heights in the coming years.’
Sarah Quinn, Chair of the LSO, added:
‘Following a thorough global search, we are delighted to appoint John Harte as our next Managing Director. John has led outstanding work at Aurora Orchestra, which has become a significant force in UK music in an impressively short period of time. Our relationship with John began in 2010, when Aurora Orchestra was an Associate Orchestra at LSO St Luke’s until 2015, and we very much look forward to working together once again.’
John Harte will succeed Dame Kathryn McDowell in August 2026. Dame Kathryn steps down from the post at the end of the current 2025/26 Season in July.
Enquiries
Christopher Millard, Head of Press & External Relations
London Symphony Orchestra
Barbican Centre, Silk Street, EC2Y 8DS
D +44 20 7382 2550 | chris.millard@lso.co.uk
M +44 7545 502226
The London Symphony Orchestra believes that extraordinary music should be available to everyone, everywhere – from orchestral fans in the concert hall to first-time listeners all over the world. The LSO was established in 1904 as one of the first orchestras shaped by its musicians. Since then, generations of remarkable talents have built the LSO’s reputation for quality, ambition and a commitment to sharing the joy of music with everyone. The LSO performs some 70 concerts every year as Resident Orchestra at the Barbican, with its family of artists: Chief Conductor Sir Antonio Pappano, Conductor Emeritus Sir Simon Rattle, Principal Guest Conductors Gianandrea Noseda and François-Xavier Roth, Conductor Laureate Michael Tilson Thomas, and Associate Artists Barbara Hannigan and André J Thomas.
The LSO has major artistic residencies in Paris, Tokyo and at the Aix-en-Provence Festival, and a growing presence across Asia and Australia. Through LSO Discovery, the LSO’s learning and community programme, 60,000 people each year experience the transformative power of music. The Orchestra’s musicians are at the heart of this unique programme, leading workshops, mentoring bright young talent, and visiting schools, hospitals and community spaces. The home of much of this work is LSO St Luke’s, the LSO’s venue on Old Street. In 2025, following a programme of works, the LSO re-opened the venue’s facilities to more people than ever before, with new state-of-the-art recording facilities and dedicated spaces for LSO Discovery.
The LSO’s record label LSO Live is a leader among orchestra-owned labels. LSO Live brings to life the excitement of a live performance in a catalogue of over 200 acclaimed recordings and reaches millions through streaming services and online broadcasts. As a leading orchestra for film, the LSO has entertained millions with its recordings of classic scores, from epic film scores like Star Wars to an appearance in the Oscar-nominated film Maestro. Through inspiring music, learning programmes and digital innovations, the LSO’s reach extends far beyond the concert hall. And thanks to the generous support of The City of London Corporation, Arts Council England, corporate supporters, trusts and foundations, and individual donors, the LSO is able to continue sharing extraordinary music with as many people as possible, across London, and the world.
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