Christian Reif extends contract as Chief Conductor of Gävle Symphony Orchestra
GÄVLE, SWEDEN (29 January 2026) – The Gavle Symphony Orchestra has extended the contract of its Chief Conductor Christian Reif for an additional two years, continuing through the 2027/2028 season. Since Fall 2023, Reif has established a strong artistic leadership characterized by musical integrity, innovative programming, and a close relationship with both the orchestra and its audience.
“I am grateful for the trust and support from the musicians and the Gävle Symfoniorkester leadership to be asked to continue our relationship, and I am looking forward to many more inspiring performances!” says Christian Reif.
GRAMMY® Award-winner Christian Reif is an internationally sought-after conductor with engagements on both sides of the Atlantic. Reif has conducted the symphony orchestras of Los Angeles, San Francisco, Cincinnati, Baltimore, Dallas, Houston, St. Louis, Detroit, Milwaukee, Indianapolis, and Kansas City, as well as the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and Orchestra of St. Luke’s. In Europe, he makes frequent returns to the Orchestre National de Lyon, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Royal Northern Sinfonia, Münchner Rundfunkorchester, SWR Symphony Orchestra, Hallé Orchestra, Stavanger Symphony Orchestra, Netherlands Radio Philharmonic, Belgrade Philharmonic, and the National Radio Orchestra of Romania, and he recently made debuts with the Danish Chamber Orchestra, Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.
He is equally at home in the opera house and has led productions of Ariadne auf Naxos, Don Pasquale, Hänsel und Gretel, and The Rake’s Progress at the Lakes Area Music Festival, Don Giovanni at the Music Academy of the West, The Merry Wives of Windsor at Juilliard Opera, and Pagliacci at Opera San José.
Reif also serves as Music Director of the Lakes Area Music Festival in Minnesota, a month-long summer festival that brings together leading American musicians in opera, chamber music, symphonic repertoire, and commissioned works.
Reif was awarded a GRAMMY® in 2024 for the album Walking in the Dark (Nonesuch Records), in which he both accompanies soprano Julia Bullock and conducts the Philharmonia Orchestra in London. His work has been highlighted by NPR and listed by The New York Times as one of the year’s most notable classical music productions.
Reif has previously served as Resident Conductor of the San Francisco Symphony and Music Director of its Youth Orchestra. He studied conducting at the Mozarteum University Salzburg and The Juilliard School in New York.
“Christian Reif has, in a remarkably short time, become an important artistic force for our orchestra and audience. We are very pleased that this collaboration continues,” says Roza Nolcheva, Program Director, Gavle Symphony Orchestra.
Reif lives in Munich with his wife, Julia Bullock, and their son.
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