The Royal Scottish National Orchestra has appointed Lithuanian conductor Giedrė Šlekytė as its new Music Director, marking a significant new chapter for one of Scotland’s leading cultural institutions.
Šlekytė will assume the role of Music Director Designate immediately, before formally taking up the position at the start of the orchestra’s 2027–28 season. She succeeds Danish conductor Thomas Søndergård, who will become the RSNO’s first Music Director Emeritus after nearly two decades with the orchestra.
The appointment follows a series of acclaimed appearances with the orchestra during the 2025–26 season. RSNO Chief Executive Alistair Mackie said the connection between conductor and orchestra was immediately apparent.
“There are weeks in rehearsals when something shifts,” he said. “A buzz starts, momentum builds. You can feel it coming from the musicians themselves. And when it does happen, our audiences can feel it too. That’s what happened with Giedrė.”
Born in Vilnius, Lithuania, Šlekytė has rapidly built an international reputation, conducting orchestras including the Vienna Symphony, NHK Symphony Orchestra Tokyo and Staatskapelle Berlin. She has also appeared at major opera houses such as the Wiener Staatsoper, the Royal Opera House in London and Staatsoper Berlin.
Speaking about her appointment, Šlekytė said she was excited by the orchestra’s energy and ambition.
“I got to know the RSNO as an orchestra of musical excellence but also curiosity, versatility, open-mindedness and great energy,” she said. “Lots of exciting concert programmes and recordings are in the planning, and I can’t wait to join the RSNO family, grow together and inspire audiences in Scotland and beyond.”
Founded in 1891, the RSNO is one of Europe’s leading symphony orchestras and one of Scotland’s five National Performing Companies. Alongside its concert activity across Scotland, the orchestra has built an international reputation for its recordings and soundtrack work for film, television and video games.
