Martyn Charles Brabbins (born 13 August 1959) is a British conductor.

Early life and education

The fourth of five children in his family, he learned to play the euphonium, and then the trombone during his youth at Towcester Studio Brass Band. He later studied composition at Goldsmiths, University of London. He subsequently studied conducting with Ilya Musin at the Leningrad Conservatory.

Career

Brabbins first came to international attention when he was awarded first prize at the Leeds Conductors Competition in 1988. Between 1994 and 2005, Brabbins was Associate Principal Conductor of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. He became principal conductor of Sinfonia 21 in 1994. He was artistic director of the Cheltenham Music Festival from 2005 to 2007. During his Cheltenham tenure, he established a new ensemble, the Festival Players. In Leeds, he created a new chamber music series called "Music in Transition". On 17 July 2011, Brabbins conducted the 6th live performance of Havergal Brian's Symphony No. 1 "The Gothic", at The Proms, which was later released on a Hyperion commercial recording. Brabbins was subsequently named president of the Havergal Brian Society. Brabbins is also conductor laureate of the Huddersfield Choral Society. In 2002, Brabbins founded a training course for aspiring conductors at the St Magnus International Festival in Orkney, which he continues to co-direct. Outside of the UK, Brabbins became principal guest conductor of deFilharmonie (Royal Flemish Philharmonic) in 2009. He held the position of chief conductor of the Nagoya Philharmonic Orchestra from 2012 to 2016. Brabbins first guest-conducted at English National Opera (ENO) in 2012, in a production of Vaughan Williams' The Pilgrim's Progress. On 21 October 2016, ENO named Brabbins its next music director, with immediate effect. On 15 October 2023, Brabbins resigned from ENO, with immediate effect, in protest at proposed music personnel reductions to the company's music staff. In June 2024, the Malmö Symphony Orchestra announced the appointment of Brabbins as its next chief conductor, effective with the 2025-2026 season, with an initial contract of three seasons.

Recordings

Brabbins has conducted commercial recordings of music for such labels as Warner, Chandos, Hyperion, NMC, Nimbus, and Deutsche Grammophon. Recordings include: Saint-Saëns: piano concertos n°2 & n°5, Louis Schwizgebel-Wang, piano, BBC Symphony Orchestra, cond. Martyn Brabbins & Fabien Gabel; label Aparté 2015

Personal life and recognition

Brabbins and his wife Karen (née Evans) met at Goldsmiths. The couple married in 1985, and have three children. In January 2013, the University of Bristol awarded Brabbins an honorary degree, of Doctor of Music honoris causa.