Danish-born Claus Efland is one of the most widely-respected and versatile conductors of his generation. Appointed as the Bardi Symphony Orchestra’s Musical Director in 2008, his inspirational leadership has developed the orchestra to consistent critical acclaim and taken it to what reviews have said are ‘levels of performance rare in an orchestra of this kind’. Born in 1974, in Denmark, his early musical studies were as a violinist. He then moved to London, where he studied conducting at the Royal College of Music with John Carewe and Neil Thomson. This was then followed by a period of study at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse in Paris with Janós Fürst, and his studies were further consolidated by a period of work with the Dresden Staatskapelle when, at the invitation of the late Sir Colin Davis, Claus acted as his assistant. 

Claus has received numerous awards for his conducting including the Theodore Stier Prize for Conducting, and the prestigious Scandinavian Léonie Sonning Award. In addition he was a prizewinner in the 2004 Donatella Flick Conducting Competition in London.

In the orchestral field he has worked with many of the leading British orchestras including the London Symphony Orchestra, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, and the BBC Concert Orchestra. In Europe, as well as appearing with all the major Danish orchestras, he has appeared with a number of German orchestras including the Staatskapelle Dresden, the RTE National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, and the Lithuanian National Symphony orchestra. Further afield in South America, he has conducted the Orquesta Filharmonica de Mexico City, as well as orchestras in Brazil and Argentina.

As an opera conductor, Claus has directed productions at internationally renowned opera houses including the Staatsoper unter den Linden in Berlin, Komische Oper Berlin, Teatro dell’Opera in Rome and Teatro Lirico Sperimentale as part of the world  famous classical music festival in Spoleto. In June 2015 he was the recipient of the prestigious Reumert Award, Denmark’s  leading  theatre award, for his work in conducting a new opera Andre Bygninger (Other Buildings) by the Californian-born composer Andy Pape. The opera was first staged in 2015 by Opera Funen, Denmark, with Claus conducting the Odense Symphony Orchestra for the production which was  named The Opera of the Year.

Claus is currently signed to work exclusively with the Challenge Recording label.  He has recorded two CDs for the label with Sinfonietta Riga the first entitled Concertante was quickly followed by a second entitled Nordic Atmospheres. 

He has appeared internationally with orchestras both in Europe and South America. In the UK, addition to the Bardi Symphony Orchestra, he has conducted the London Symphony Orchestra, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and the BBC Concert Orchestra. In Europe, as well as appearing with all the major Danish orchestras, he has appeared with a number of German orchestras including the Staatskapelle Dresden.

Further highlights in Europe  have  included performances in Ireland, Switzerland, and Lithuania. In South America, he has conducted the Orquesta Filharmonica de Mexico City, as well as orchestras in Brazil and Argentina. Most recently he has conducted the Philharmonie Zuidnetherland in Holland, and has also made appearances with the Romanian Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Staatskapelle Weimar. Future plans in this season include concerts in Mulhouse in Germany and Valladolid in Spain.