LONDON SINFONIETTA - 11.2.2026

Portsmouth, UK

ENSEMBLE MODERN - 15.2.2026

Young Professionals

Frankfurt, Germany

LONDON SINFONIETTA - 28.2.2026

Music shaped by silence and nature

London, UK

3nd Prize Winner - Competition “Guido Cantelli” 2022

2nd Prize Winner - Princess Astrid International Competition 2022

2nd Prize Winner - International Competition of Young Conductors Lovro von Matačić 2019

3rd Prize Winner - Georg Solti International Conducting Competition 2015

Winner - Neeme Järvi Prize, Menuhin Festival 2015

Toby Thatcher is an Australian/British conductor. He is Artistic Director of Zeitgeist.

During 2025/26 Toby will debut with the London Sinfonietta Transylvania State Philharmonic, Orquestra Clássica Da Madeira, Black Page Orchestra in Musikverein, and return to the Orchestre National de France, Ensemble Modern, RTÉ Symphony Orchestra, Trondheim Symfoniorkester and Sinfonia Smith Square, among others.

Toby has worked with ensembles internationally including Orchestre National de France, hr-Sinfonieorchester Frankfurt, Ensemble Modern, Ensemble Intercontemporain, London Symphony Orchestra (a side-by-side project with students from the Guildhall School of Music), RTÉ Concert Orchestra, Trondheim Symfoniorkester, Slovenian Philharmonic, Sinfonietta Cracovia, Croatian Radiotelevision Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Sinfonieorchester Basel, Korean Symphony Orchestra, Ensemble Musikfabrik, Riot Ensemble, and the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra.

He has recorded for Deutschlandfunk with the Riot Ensemble.

Toby has held Assistant Conductor positions at, or been a guest Assistant Conductor for, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, Orchestre National de France, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, and Orchestre National d'Île-de-France. Between 2018-19, he was mentored by Peter Eötvös. In 2019 he was Conducting Fellow at the Cabrillo Festival, under Cristian Măcelaru.

Toby has been invited as guest speaker by the Royal Academy of Music, University of the Arts London & the British Association of Romantic Studies. He has appeared on BBC Radio 3 & the ABC.

Toby graduated from the Royal Academy of Music with an MA in Music Performance. As an orchestral musician he performed regularly with the London Philharmonia, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, & London Sinfonietta.

PRESS

“…rich in inventiveness and energy…a pandemonium of groundbreaking musicality”
- Klassiek Centraal, on Riot Ensemble @ TRANSIT

“Thatcher led…with panache, a spring in his movements.”
- Limelight Magazine

"...a deep understanding of the repertoire.”
- CutCommon

“...excellent conducting technique, authority and musicality...highly impressive.”
- David Robertson, conductor

“...a curious and passionate exponent of new music…”
- Peter Eötvös, composer/conductor

“Thatcher used an entire repertoire of body language to coax clarity and dynamics. Very impressive.”
- Robert Small, Fine Music 102.5