Numa Bischof Ullmann, a native of Basel, has been Artistic Director of the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra since 2004. His achievements include the gradual expansion of the orchestra, the establishment of the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra Foundation, the construction and financing of the orchestra’s home, and the appointment of Michael Sanderling and the previous principal conductor James Gaffigan, as well as the orchestra’s international positioning and its partnership with Warner Classics. Under his leadership, new compositions by Wolfgang Rihm, Sofia Gubaidulina and Thomas Adès have been commissioned. The world premiere in 2011 of Rodion Shchedrin’s Concerto for Piano, Cello and Orchestra, dedicated to Martha Argerich, ranks among the milestones of his artistic achievements. His second focus is on promoting young talent, institutionalised through his collaboration with the Arthur Waser Foundation and the concert series “Lunch Concerts” and “Rising Star Concert”. In addition, Numa Bischof Ullmann is the founder and artistic director of Lucerne’s piano festival “Le piano symphonique”. From 2013 to 2020, he served on the Artistic Advisory Committee of the International Gilmore Awards in the USA. He acts as a trustee for charitable foundations and serves on juries for competitions such as the International Busoni Piano Competition and the Hong Kong Academy Concerto Competition 2026.