Finnish conductor Santtu-Matias Rouvali took up the baton as Principal Conductor in September 2021. The sixth person to hold the title, he is known for his expressive, balletic conducting style and irrepressible energy.

Herbert von Karajan, Otto Klemperer, Wilhelm Furtwängler, Arturo Toscanini, Riccardo Muti, Christoph von Dohnányi and Esa-Pekka Salonen are just a few of the great artists to be associated with the Philharmonia, and the Orchestra has premiered works by Richard Strauss, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, Errollyn Wallen, Kaija Saariaho and many others.

It is a Resident Orchestra at the Southbank Centre in the heart of London. The Philharmonia tours all over Europe, and to the USA, Japan and China, and its online performances are enjoyed by listeners from Fiji, Sudan and Indonesia to high above the Arctic Circle in Norway. The Orchestra makes recordings, plays for movie and video soundtracks, and creates groundbreaking Virtual Reality experiences. Its Learning & Engagement projects, films and pioneering use of technology enable more people to experience world-class music-making. It is committed to nurturing the next generation of orchestral musicians and composers. The Philharmonia is a registered charity; it is thankful to its family of supporters, and proud to be funded by Arts Council England.