Biography

Vienna-based conductor William Garfield Walker has been praised by Klassik begeistert for “an irresistible instinct for extended arcs of tension and grand pathos.”

As Chief Conductor of Nova Orchester Wien, Walker leads an orchestra of ninety musicians from more than thirty countries. Described by Die Presse as embodying a “visionary Viennese sound culture,” the orchestra performs regularly at the Musikverein and Wiener Konzerthaus. Its repertoire ranges from Bruckner, Mahler and Shostakovich to twentieth- and twenty-first-century works, including Austrian premieres.

Under Walker’s leadership, Nova has collaborated with the International Bruckner Society during the Bruckner 200 celebrations and has become a Cultural Partner of UNICEF Austria. In November 2026 he conducts Mahler’s Fourth Symphony and Schoenberg’s First Chamber Symphony at the Wiener Konzerthaus in a concert marking Universal Edition’s 125th anniversary. In January 2027 he conducts Bruckner’s Seventh Symphony in the Großer Saal of the Musikverein in a concert presented by Jeunesse.

Walker has served as Staff and Cover Conductor at Lyric Opera of Chicago and as Solti Conducting Fellow at Washington National Opera.

A four-time recipient of the Sir Georg Solti Foundation U.S. Career Assistance Award, he was also awarded First Prize in The American Prize in Conducting, professional orchestra division. He was selected by members of the Vienna Philharmonic for the AAF/Faber Fellowship at the Salzburg Festival.

His conducting engagements have included the Sofia Philharmonic, Janáček Philharmonic Ostrava, Bucharest Symphony Orchestra, Orquesta Reino de Aragón, Symphony Orchestra of the Balearic Islands, Cabrillo Festival Orchestra and Wiener Concert-Verein. His recording with the Wiener Concert-Verein at Vienna’s Musikverein was released by Solo Musica.

Walker studied conducting in Vienna and further developed his craft with Paavo Järvi, Neeme Järvi, Vladimir Fedoseyev, Jorma Panula and Michail Jurowski. Selected by Riccardo Muti for the Italian Opera Academy at the Tokyo Spring Festival, he worked with Muti on Verdi’s Attila.

Before turning to conducting, Walker was active internationally as a cellist, studying at the Royal College of Music in London and with Richard Hirschl of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

Also a composer published by Universal Edition, Walker’s solo, chamber and orchestral works have been performed at the Musikverein, Wiener Konzerthaus and Palau de la Música Catalana, as well as in collaborations with dance ensembles at the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao and the Sarajevo Ballet Festival.