Garry
Walker

Garry Walker (1974-) is a Scottish conductor. Walker received his secondary school education at St Mary's Music School, Edimburgh. His initial musical training was as a cellist, and he subsequently played cello in the Edinburgh Youth Orchestra. In 1995, Walker graduated from the Royal Northern College of Music and Manchester University. In 1999, Walker won the Leeds Conductors Competition. He subsequently became associate conductor of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO), and between 2003 and 2007 he served as principal guest conductor. He has served on the faculty of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland as a visiting professor of conducting, and the RCS formally created the post of artistic director. He was appointed chief conductor of the Staatsorchester Rheinische Philharmonie. In June 2019, Opera North announced the appointment of Walker as its next music director. In February 2020, the Staatsorchester Rheinische Philharmonie announced that Walker is to stand down as its chief conductor at the close of the 2021-2022 season.