Karina Canellakis is an American conductor and violinist, born and raised in New York City, who trained first as a violinist before Sir Simon Rattle encouraged her to pursue conducting while she was a member of the Berlin Philharmonic's Karajan-Akademie. She has been Chief Conductor of the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra since 2019 - the first woman to hold that post, and the first female chief conductor of any Dutch orchestra - and serves as Principal Guest Conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra. She won the Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award in 2016 and has since become one of the most sought-after conductors of her generation, appearing regularly with orchestras from the Vienna Philharmonic to the Chicago Symphony.
Canellakis led a sold-out multi-city European tour with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter, covering London, Cologne, Luxembourg, Düsseldorf, Hanover, Frankfurt, Hamburg and Vienna.
The RFO's recording of Bartók: Duke Bluebeard's Castle, conducted by Canellakis, won the BBC Music Magazine Award 2026 in the Opera category.
Canellakis released her first album on the LPO's own label, pairing Tchaikovsky's Fifth and Sixth Symphonies recorded live at the Royal Festival Hall.
Canellakis made her Japan debut, conducting the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra and appearing at the Pacific Music Festival in Sapporo.
The Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra announced an extension of Canellakis's contract as Chief Conductor through August 2031.
