206: Wigmore Hall's John Gilhooly

London chamber music venue Wigmore Hall stages something in the region of 600 events a year. That’s partly why its season brochure stretches to 206 pages — and that’s just for September to December 2025. A weighty piece of print that, for some (myself included), reads more like a guaranteed programme of discovery. An in depth syllabus. A prospectus.

The new season sees the usual draw of international artists and homegrown talent: Christian Tetzlaff, Igor Levit, Les Arts Florissants, Dunedin Consort, Mitsuko Uchida, Martha Argerich, Stephen Kovacevich, the Kanneh-Masons, Hugh Cutting, Solomon’s Knot — and a debut from a previous Thoroughly Good Podcastee, Danish cellist Jonathan Swensen, whom I met way back when I was in Armenia for the Khachaturian Cello Competition.

To appear at Wigmore is a reflection of the place you hold in the industry as a communicator. So why wouldn’t you make a beeline to go there — to hear the very best, and to hear that which you wouldn’t normally hear?

This is not a promo for Wigmore Hall even if it does sound like it, its simply an articulation of a special home, a musical destination which stirs something inside whenever I find myself walking down Wigmore Street and I catch sight of that distinctive canopy.

Such a prestigious stage and reputation carries with it a considerable weight of responsibility, surely. How could it not?

What does it take to run one of the world’s busiest classical music venues?

In this candid conversation, John Gilhooly reflects on the complexity of his role at Wigmore Hall — a job he describes as a “seven-day liability.” From last-minute artist cancellations to long-term fundraising goals, Gilhooly shares how he balances tradition with innovation, protects artistic standards, and fosters a spirit of welcome across every part of the organisation.

It’s a rare, unguarded look at what it really means to lead in the arts today — from someone who’s done it, against the odds, for nearly two decades.