THE BEGINNING

1967
Music from the very beginning.

Joseph began composing at the age of seven, alongside his early training as a violinist. He later studied at The Juilliard School, beginning the path that would lead to his international career as a violin soloist.

THE VIOLINIST

An international solo career
From Juilliard to the international concert stage, Swensen established a major career as a violinist, receiving the Leventritt Foundation Sponsorship Award and Avery Fisher Career Grant, and becoming an exclusive recording artist for RCA Records.

A NEW DIRECTION

From solo violinist to conductor and composer.

After an international career as a violin soloist, Swensen increasingly turned his focus to conducting and composition — the beginning of a new chapter in his appointment as Principal Conductor of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra in 1996.

1996–2005

SCOTLAND

A decade with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra

Appointed Principal Conductor of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra in 1996, Swensen began one of the defining orchestral relationships of his conducting career. He later became Conductor Emeritus

2000–2012

A GROWING EUROPEAN PRESENCE

BBC National Orchestra of Wales · Malmö Opera · Orchestre de Chambre de Paris

Principal Guest Conductor of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales (2000–2003), Music Director of Malmö Opera (2005–2011) and Artistic Advisor to the Orchestre de Chambre de Paris (2009–2012).