Described by The Guardian as an “impressive, authoritative conductor”, Gergely Madaras is praised for his “unusual tenderness and flexibility” (The Telegraph). The Hungarian conductor was recently named ‘Conductor of the Year’ at the Bartók Radio Awards.
Highlights of the 2026/27 season include return engagements with the London Philharmonic, Royal Philharmonic, Dresden Philharmonic, Norwegian Radio, WDR Symphonieorchester and Hungarian State Opera, alongside his debuts with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, SWR Symphonieorchester, NDR Radiophilharmonie Hannover and Korean National Symphony Orchestra.
His international career as a guest conductor has brought him to orchestras including Staatskapelle Dresden, Budapest Festival Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, NHK Symphony Orchestra, NDR Elbphilharmonie-Orchester, Bayerisches Staatsorchester, Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, and the Oslo and Hong Kong Philharmonics. (Click HERE for the full list of conducted orchestras)
Equally at home in the operatic repertoire, Gergely was the inaugural Sir Charles Mackerras Fellow at English National Opera. Since his debut at ENO, he has conducted critically acclaimed productions at the Hungarian State Opera (La Bohème, Traviata, Otello, Gianni Schicci, Cavalleria Rusticana, Die Zauberflöte, Figaro), Grand Théâtre de Genève (Die Zauberflöte, Fantasio, Viva la mamma), Welsh National Opera (Tosca), Dutch National Opera (Die Zauberflöte) and La Monnaie (The Nose).
Gergely has developed an extensive discography with orchestras including the Orchestre Philharmonique Royal de Liège, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Oslo Philharmonic, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, WDR Symphonieorchester and the BBC Symphony Orchestra. His recordings for labels such as Sony Classical, Alpha Classics, BIS, Linn Records and Palazzetto Bru Zane span a broad repertoire, combining cornerstone works of the symphonic canon with rarities, rediscoveries and contemporary music.
He served as Music Director of the Orchestre Philharmonique Royal de Liège from 2019 to 2025, forging a close artistic partnership with the orchestra, its public (raising audience numbers by 68% during his tenure) and its city, which recently named him an Honorary Citizen. He previously held the positions of Music Director of Orchestre Dijon Bourgogne (2013–19) and Chief Conductor of the Savaria Symphony Orchestra (2014–20).
Born in Budapest in 1984, Gergely began studying folk music at the age of five with the last generation of authentic Hungarian Gypsy and peasant musicians. He subsequently studied classical flute, violin and composition, graduating in flute performance from the Liszt Academy in Budapest and in conducting from the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, where he studied with Mark Stringer.
He lives in London with his wife, the flutist Noémi Győri and their two daughters.
(For the most up-to-date biography, please contact Askonas Holt. This biography should not be edited without their permission.)
