Nicholas Milton To Conduct IFAC Handa Australian Singing Competition

IFAC Handa Australian Singing Competition has announced that Dr Nicholas Milton AM, will conduct the 2026 competition.

Dr Milton is Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of the Göttingen Symphony Orchestra in Germany, University Professor for Orchestra Conducting at the Gustav Mahler University for Music in Austria, and Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Willoughby Symphony Orchestra in Sydney, Australia. Widely regarded as one of Australia’s most successful international conductors, Milton is known for his exciting interpretations of both operatic and symphonic repertoire.

Since his appointment in Göttingen in 2018, he has overseen artistic growth, broadened audiences, and strengthened the orchestra’s reputation as one of Germany’s most innovative ensembles. As Chief Conductor of the Stadttheater Klagenfurt and the Carinthian Symphony Orchestra (2021–2025), he conducted a critically acclaimed new production of Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen, nominated for the 2025 Austrian Music Theatre Prize for Best Musical Direction. In the same year, he received the Grand Decoration of Honour from the State of Carinthia for his contribution to cultural life.

Previously, Dr Milton was General Music Director of the Saarländisches Staatstheater Saarbrücken and the Jena Philharmonic. He appears regularly at leading opera houses, including Deutsche Oper Berlin, Komische Oper Berlin, Volksoper Vienna, and Oper Leipzig. For Opera Australia, he has conducted Tosca, Madama Butterfly, La Bohème, and most recently, the 2026 production of Turandot. He has also led orchestras such as the London Philharmonic, Konzerthaus Orchestra Berlin, Stuttgart Philharmonic, Bruckner Orchester Linz, and NDR Radiophilharmonie. His discography includes around 60 recordings, including a GRAMMY®-nominated album with pianist Joseph Moog.