Music interview: multi-tasking conductor Thomas Dausgaard on his plans for the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra

He’s worked on a farm in China, sought out head-hunting tribes in Borneo, lived with villagers on a remote South Pacific island, even taken his family to learn Aboriginal arts in Australia. All, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra chief conductor Thomas Dausgaard has explained, to “find the roots of where we come from, and to explore the things we share across cultures”. It’s a remarkable list of adventures – especially from a continent-hopping international conductor. And one who, alongside heading the BBC SSO, is also chief conductor of the Swedish Chamber Orchestra, and in 2019 becomes music director of the Seattle Symphony Orchestra. It’s a wonder he has time for it all.