Bernhard Gueller
Renowned for his innovative phrasing and rhythmically charged performances Bernhard Gueller stands as a distinguished musical conductor who currently serves at the principal guest conductor of the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra (CPO). With a career spanning continents and earning accolades for his musical purity, Gueller continues to captivate musicians, critics, and audiences worldwide.
Born in Germany, Gueller’s musical journey led him to South Africa in 1995, where he has since left an indelible mark on the country’s classical music scene. His illustrious career includes a 16-year tenure as the Music Director of Symphony Nova Scotia in Canada, where he now holds the esteemed title of Music Director Laureate. Gueller has also held prominent positions as the music director of the Nuremberg Symphoniker and principal conductor of both the Cape Town Philharmonic (CTPO) and the Johannesburg Philharmonic.
His global influence extends beyond these roles, with Gueller serving as the principal guest conductor of the Victoria Symphony in Canada. He has graced podiums from North America to Australia, Brazil to Israel, and across Asia, including Korea, China, and Japan. European audiences have experienced his magic in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Russia, Bulgaria, Sweden, and Finland. He has also appeared in many music festivals such as the Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Festival and National Arts Festival in South Africa, the Schwetzingen Festival in Germany and the and the National Arts Festival in South Africa as well as the Scotia Festival in Canada.Regularly conducting the KNZPO and the JPO, Gueller’s versatility knows no bounds.
Gueller’s collaborations with internationally acclaimed soloists include luminaries such as Canadian violinist James Ehnes, pianists Jan Lisiecki, Janina Fialkowska, and Marc Andre-Hamelin, violinist Joshua Bell, and Metropolitan Opera singers Pretty Yende, Elza van den Heever, and the late Johan Botha, along with soprano Pumeza Matshikiza.
His artistry extends to recordings for national and international broadcast, including several acclaimed CDs with the CPO and Symphony Nova Scotia and also in Germany. The latest was with the CPO and cellist Peter Martens of the concertos of Saint-Saëns and Vieuxtemps which was released in 2019.. Others include Dancing in the Light, of works by contemporary Canadian composer, with Symphony Nova Scotia, one with South African mezzo soprano Hanneli Rupert and the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra, and others with the Radio Symphony Orchestra Stuttgart, German Brass and the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra. He has also released two CDs of contemporary Canadian works by Tim Brady which won an East Coast Music award, and a CD of orchestrated lieder by Schubert with the Canadian mezzo-soprano Andrea Ludwig which was proclaimed “a triumph for all” by Canada’s prestigious “Whole Note”.
Recognized for his outstanding contributions, Gueller was honored with the Queen’s Jubilee Medal and awarded a doctorate by Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia for his exceptional service to the world of music. Bernhard Gueller’s enduring legacy as a maestro of global significance continues to resonate across borders, leaving an indelible imprint on the symphonic landscape.
Beginning his career as a cellist, Gueller won the United German Radios Conducting Competition in 1979 and for nearly 20 years ran tandem careers, deputing for the legendary conductor Sergiu Celibidache, who regarded Gueller as his best “pupil”.
Gueller also attracted the attention of the renowned arts administrator Ernest Fleischman who “was deeply impressed by his extraordinary musicianship, his marvellous ability to communicate with the musicians, and … his charismatic impact on the audience”.
During the Covid pandemic, he streamed more than 20 concerts internationally with the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra.
