Stéphane Denève

Known for his visionary storytelling and heartfelt interpretations, Stéphane Denève, The Joseph and Emily Rauh Pulitzer Music Director, joined the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra in September 2019, having served as Music Director designate during the 2018/2019 season.

Now in his sixth season as the 13th Music Director of the SLSO, Stéphane has shaped his tenure around creating extraordinary musical experiences that give an authentic voice to music. An expert with repertoire across genre and time, he has cultivated specific recognition for his interpretation of French, American, vocal, and operatic music. Through thoughtful and innovative programming, he maintains an enthusiasm for music and composers of today. A gifted communicator and educator, he is committed to inspiring the next generation of musicians and listeners, as well as nurturing the SLSO’s role as a creative leader for the St. Louis community and making orchestral music accessible to all.

Recognized internationally for the exceptional quality of his performances and programming, he regularly appears at major concert venues with the world’s greatest orchestras and soloists. In addition to his role in St. Louis, he is the Artistic Director of the New World Symphony (Miami) and the Principal Guest Conductor of the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic. He has held leadership positions at the Brussels Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra, and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.

Stéphane regularly works with orchestras and opera companies worldwide, including the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, The Cleveland Orchestra, the DWO Berlin, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the New York Philharmonic, the NHK Symphony Orchestra, The Philadelphia Orchestra, the Rotterdam Philharmonic, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, the San Francisco Symphony, the Toronto Symphony, and the Vienna Symphony. In June 2022, Denève was the conductor for John Williams’ official 90th Birthday Gala with National Symphony Orchestra in Washington. He is also a popular guest at many of the U.S. summer music festivals, including the Hollywood Bowl, Bravo!Vail, Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Blossom Music Festival, Festival Napa Valley, Sun Valley Music Festival, Grand Teton Music Festival, and Music Academy of the West.

As a recording artist, he has won critical acclaim for his recordings of the works of Poulenc, Debussy, Ravel, Roussel, Franck, and Connesson. He is a triple winner of the Diapason d’Or of the Year and has been shortlisted for Gramophone’s Artist of the Year Award. His inaugural album with the SLSO, featuring the music of Leonard Bernstein and John Williams with violinist James Ehnes, earned critical acclaim.

Since his first visit to St. Louis in 2003, Stéphane has charmed audiences with his wit, warmth, and genuine passion for music and the St. Louis region. He is shaping the future of the SLSO through his appointments of artistic leaders and one-quarter of the orchestra to date, advanced audience-building initiatives with new happy hour concerts, and made music more accessible to the community through cross-artistic collaborations with partnering St. Louis arts organizations. He has welcomed music lovers to SLSO performances in St. Louis, at universities throughout the Midwest, and in some of Europe’s most-respected concert venues.