dCS Guest Playlist Barbara Hannigan

Barbara chose for a dCS Classical Choices: Barbara Hannigan, Amsterdam Piano Trio & more playlist

Barbara Hannigan is a powerhouse Canadian soprano and conductor who has completely rewritten the rulebook for modern classical music. Renowned for her intense physicality, dramatic commitment, and staggering vocal technique, she is one of the world’s foremost champions of contemporary classical music, having premiered nearly 100 new works.

What truly sets her apart, however, is her rare ability to sing and conduct at the same time.

What Makes Her Unique?

The Double Threat: Hannigan regularly takes the podium to conduct world-class orchestras (such as the Royal Concertgebouw and the London Symphony Orchestra) while simultaneously singing incredibly complex vocal leads.
The Contemporary Champion: She is the muse for many of today’s greatest living composers. Giants like György Ligeti, Pierre Boulez, George Benjamin, and John Zorn have written music specifically tailored to her precise vocal range and dramatic flair.
Fearless Performances: She treats opera as a full-body sport. In her highly acclaimed performance of Alban Berg’s Lulu, she famously sang the notoriously difficult 12-tone score while dancing en pointe like a ballerina.
Leadership: Adding to her roles as Principal Guest Conductor of the Gothenburg Symphony, she is stepping into her tenure as the Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Iceland Symphony Orchestra.

Major Accolades

Over her trailblazing career, Hannigan has collected some of the most prestigious awards in the industry:

Polar Music Prize (2025) – Often called the “Nobel Prize of Music.”
Grammy Award (2018) – Best Classical Solo Vocal Album for Crazy Girl Crazy, where she both sang and conducted.
Order of Canada (2016) – Appointed for her global contributions to contemporary music.

Beyond her own performances, she runs Equilibrium Young Artists, a mentoring initiative she founded in 2017 to help young professional musicians navigate the early stages of their careers.