British conductor, organist and pianist, Wayne Marshall, is world-renowned for his musicianship and versatility on the podium and at the keyboard. He has served as Chief Conductor of WDR Funkhausorchester, Cologne (2014-20) and Principal Guest Conductor of Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano Giuseppe Verdi (2007-13.)
He is a celebrated interpreter of the music of George Gershwin, Leonard Bernstein as well as other 20th-Century American Composers. He has conducted Bernstein’s Candide (Deutsche Staatsoper, Berlin and Lyon Opera), Mass (Orchestre de Paris) and White House Cantata (Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra), Harbison’s The Great Gatsby (Semperoper, Dresden), Heggie’s Dead Man Walking (Montreal Opera) and numerous productions of Porgy and Bess (including Opera Comique, Paris, Washington National Opera and Dallas Opera, Vienna Staatsoper.)
Recent conducting highlights include his critically-acclaimed debut with the Berliner Philharmoniker in 2021, and debuts with the Munich Philharmonic, Tonhalle Zurich, Munich Rundfunk Orchestra, Frankfurt Radio Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony, Seattle Symphony, and Chicago Symphony, Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Nashville Symphony.
In 2021, he made his debut at the Edinburgh International Festival with the music of Rodgers and Hammerstein featuring concerts with Danielle de Niese. In 2022, he returned to perform with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra.
Plans for 2025/2026 Season include an extensive tour in Germany and the United Kingdom with the German National Youth Orchestra. He conducted in Japan with the Hiroshima Nagoya Orchestras in March 2025.
In April 2025 Wayne conducted the full production of Peter Grimes at the Opera de Lyon and in June 2025 he will be conducting at the Spring Festival with the Czech Radio Orchestra. The Summer of 2025 will see Wayne conducting the MDR Orchestra in Leipzig followed by the Flanders Youth Orchestra and the Brussels Philharmonic.
In October he will be at the Musikverein in Vienna with the Tonkunstler Orchestra. Wayne is also delighted to be making his debut at the Grand Théâtre de Genève conducting the full production of Gershwin’s American in Paris.
The 2026 Season will see Wayne appearing with Basel Symphony Orchestra and a Tour of the Netherlands and Italy with the Toscanini Orchestra. He will be finishing the year by conducting the New Year’s concert in Zurich with the Tonahlle Orchestra.
As an organ recitalist, he has an exceptionally varied repertoire and performs across the globe. In recent years, he has gained a significant following on social media.
In September 2025, Wayne will be performing a series of concerts at Weiwuying Organ Festival and during October 2025 Wayne Marshall will be performing an organ recital in Dudelange followed immediately by an extensive organ recital tour in China in October 2025. He will also be performing and conducting at the Lucerne Festival to Celebrate the 25th anniversary of the KKL Organ.
His many honours include an Honorary Doctorate from Bournemouth University (2004), a Fellowship of the Royal College of Music (2010) and the Golden Jubilee Award from the Government of Barbados (2016). In 2021 Wayne was awarded an OBE (Officer of the British Empire) by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. In March 2024, Wayne was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Coventry University.
Wayne Marshall is proud to be an Ambassador of the London Music Fund, a Charity whose mission it is to support the children of underprivileged communities to have access to high-quality music education.
