ABOUT

Connor Lyster is a British – Irish conductor, who has worked internationally in symphonic, operatic and ballet repertoire.

Having gained a first class honours degree in percussion from the Royal College of Music, Connor has gone on to perform and record with professional orchestras across the UK, including the Hallé and the BBC Symphony Orchestra. He has worked with many conductors and soloists such as Sir Mark Elder, Nicola Benedetti Rafael Payare, Ryan Wigglesworth and Martyn Brabbins; Most notably including a broadcast on BBC Radio 3, featuring a world premiere of Ian Bell’s Beowulf narrated by Ruth Wilson.

Connor later studied conducting with Mark Heron and Clark Rundell on the prestigious Masters course at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. During his time, he conducted a wide variety of ensembles both internally and externally of the RNCM and took part in masterclasses with esteemed guests such as Nicolás Pasquet, Sir Mark Elder, Ludovic Morlot, Antony Hermus and Anja Bihlmaier. He has conducted a wide range of ensembles, such as the Hallé, Manchester Camerata, NEW Sinfonia and at the end of his studies at the RNCM, Connor made his debut with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra with a performance of Hindemith’s Symphonic Metamorphosis on Themes of Carl Maria von Weber, where he was described by the Arts Desk as ‘the gifts of economy of movement and focused contact with his musicians’.

Connor has worked as an assistant conductor with many orchestras and conductors, including the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, the Hallé, and Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. He developed a close relationship with Domingo Hindoyan at the RLPO, who he has assisted many times in a wide range of repertoire, with particular highlights including Mahler’s Symphony No. 3 and highlights from the Wagner’s Ring Cycle. Further highlights include an assistantship to Colin Currie with members of the Hallé orchestra in a programme dedicated to the music of Steve Reich, as well as further assistantships to conductors Mark Wigglesworth, Adam Hickox, Ben Gernon and Joshua Weilerstein. Most recently Connor was the assistant conductor to Nabil Shehata in a production of Cosí fan Tutte with the International Opera Academy of Ghent, and has since been reinvited to work with the IOA on future productions.

In 2026 Connor was a quarter finalist in the inaugural Sofia International Conducting Competition and a participant in the prestigious Athens Conducting Masterclass and competition with Michalis Economou.

Connor is a very versatile conductor, who is comfortable in the concert hall, opera and ballet pit. He has a very diverse repertoire and is passionate about performing new music along side the core repertoire. Connor is a strong believer of innovative programming, and is always looking to engage new and familiar audiences alike.