Thomas Søndergård is a Danish conductor. Søndergård studied percussion and timpani at the Royal Danish Academy of Music from 1989 to 1992, where his teachers included Gert Mortensen. From 1989 to 1992, Søndergård was a timpanist in the European Union Youth Orchestra. He joined the Royal Danish Orchestra as a timpanist in 1992. He served on the faculty of the Royal Danish Academy of Music from 2001 to 2002. Søndergård devoted greater attention to conducting from age 27. His conducting mentors have included Alexander Polianichko, Yves Abel and Graham Bond. His conducting work incontemporary music has included conducting the 2005 premiere of Poul Ruders' Kafka's Trial with the Royal Danish Opera, in performances which were recorded for commercial release. Søndergård became principal conductor of the Norwegian Radio Orchestra in 2009, and concluded his KORK tenure after the 2011-2012 season. Søndergård first conducted the BBC National Orchestra of Wales in December 2009, as an emergency substitute for Thierry Fischer. In July 2011, Søndergård was named the 14th principal conductor of the BBC NOW, effective with the 2012-2013 season, for an initial contract of 4 years. In February 2016, the BBC NOW announced the further extension of his contract as principal conductor through "at least 2018". Søndergård formally concluded his tenure as principal conductor of the BBC NOW is July 2018. Søndergård first guest-conducted the Royal Scottish National Orchestra in 2009. as an emergency substitute for Yakov Kreizberg. In October 2011, the RSNO named him its principal guest conductor, effective with the 2012-2013 season, with an initial contract of 3 years for 3 programmes per year. In May 2017, the RSNO announced the appointment of Søndergård as its next principal conductor, effective with the 2018-2019 season. Søndergård has conducted commercial recordings for the DaCapo label, including music of Bent Lorentzen, Per Nørgård, and Poul Ruders, and also for the Linn label.
