Niklas Willén, the finest Swedish conductor of his generation, has held positions as Principal Guest Conductor of the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Chief Conductor of the WDR Radio Orchestra Köln, General Music Director of the Volkstheater Rostock and Chief Conductor of the North German Philharmonic Rostock, Chief Conductor of the Sønderjyllands Symphony Orchestra in Denmark and Chief Conductor of the Sundsvall Chamber Orchestra.

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He was born in Stockholm where he studied conducting and composition at the city’s Royal College of Music. He was taught, amongst others, by the legendary conducting teacher, Jorma Panula.

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He has worked with orchestras and opera houses throughout Europe. His orchestral appearances include the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Stavanger, Malmö, Trondheim, Iceland and Tallin Symphonies, the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Flanders Philharmonic, Warsaw National Philharmonic, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony, Bournemouth Symphony, National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland and the Ulster Orchestra. He has also conducted OFUNAM in Mexico.

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He has conducted opera at Göteborgs Operan, the Royal Theatre in Stockholm and Norwegian National Opera in productions of “Il Barbière de Siviglia”, “Flying Dutchman”, “Madama Butterfly”, “Turandot” plus premières of several new works that have included Peter Bengtson’s opera “The Maidens”, productions for Stockholm’s “Folkoperan” and Värmlandsoperan in Karlstad, Sweden, and The Merry Widow for Greek National Opera in Athens. Last season he was immediately re-invited after making his debut with the Tonkünstler Orchester in Vienna. He also returns to Malmö Opera and Norrlands Opera.

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He has recorded with multiple orchestras including the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, Royal Opera in Stockholm, Göteborgs Symphony Orchestra, Malmö Opera, Sønderjyllands Symphony Orchestra, Iceland Symphony Orchestra, Sundsvall Chamber Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland.