The Israeli conductor and composer Omer Meir Wellber has been named the next chief conductor of the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra.

He will begin in the role in September 2019, conducting the orchestra in its concert series at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester as well as at the BBC Proms in London and on international tours.

“I first worked with the BBC Philharmonic in March and knew straight away that they were a very special group of people and exceptional musicians,” he said on Thursday.

“Manchester and the whole region is an incredibly rich area culturally, so I can hardly wait to start planning seasons to come.”

The 36-year-old succeeds Spanish maestro Juanjo Meno, who has led the orchestra for seven years.

Mr Wellber has been Music Director of the Raanana Symphonette Orchestra in Israel since 2009 and last month became Principal Guest Conductor at Semperoper Dresden.

In January 2020 he will become music director of the Teatro Massimo di Palermo.

Simon Webb, the BBC Philharmonic’s general manager, said: “Having seen Omer conducting a number of orchestras over the last year I have been fortunate to have experienced his brilliance first hand in a wide range of repertoire.

“His immediate connection with the BBC Philharmonic was evident in his first concert and we are now delighted to have secured one of the most sought after young conductors of his generation.”