Best known as a Baroque and Classical specialist, McGegan takes an approach—intelligent, infused with joy, and never dogmatic, along with an ability to engage players and audiences alike—that has made him a pioneer in broadening the reach of historically informed practice beyond the world of period ensembles to conventional symphonic forces. His guest-conducting appearances with major orchestras—including the New York, Los Angeles, and Hong Kong philharmonics; the Chicago, Dallas, Milwaukee, Toronto, Sydney, and New Zealand symphonies; The Philadelphia Orchestra; the Royal Northern Sinfonia and Scottish Chamber orchestras; and the orchestras of London’s Royal Opera House and Amsterdam’s Royal Concertgebouw—often feature Baroque repertoire alongside Classical, Romantic, 20th-century, and even brand-new works. He collaborates frequently with the Mark Morris Dance Group, including the premiere productions of Rameau’s Platée and Handel’s Acis and Galatea, and has led performances at the BBC Proms and the Edinburgh International Festival. 

Highlights of his 2024/25 orchestral bookings include a return to Walt Disney Concert Hall, conducting the Los Angeles Philharmonic; performances of Handel with the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra; and conducting the Indianapolis Symphony, Cantata Collective, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, the Chamber Music Society of St. Louis, and the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. 

McGegan’s prolific discography includes more than 100 releases spanning five decades. Having recorded over 50 albums of Handel—two of which received the prestigious Gramophone Award—McGegan has explored the depths of the composer’s output with a dozen oratorios and close to 20 of his operas. His extensive discography with Philharmonia Baroque includes two Grammy nominations (Handel’s Susana and Haydn’s Symphonies 104, 88, and 101).  

With Cantata Collective, McGegan released the first volume in an ongoing initiative to record all of Bach’s cantatas, receiving critical praise. McGegan and Cantata Collective have also announced a new partnership with Avie Records to record Bach’s six choral masterpieces—the St. John and St. Matthew Passions, Mass in B Minor, Christmas and Ascension Oratorios, and the Magnificat—over five years.  

McGegan is committed to the next generation of musicians, frequently conducting and coaching students in residencies and engagements at Yale University, The Juilliard School, Harvard University, the Colburn School, Aspen Music Festival and School, Sarasota Music Festival, and the Music Academy of the West. He has been awarded an honorary Doctor of Music degree by the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and an honorary professorship at Georg August University, Göttingen. In 2016 he was the Christoph Wolff Distinguished Visiting Scholar at Harvard.  

English-born, McGegan was educated at Cambridge and Oxford. He was made an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) “for services to music overseas.” Other awards include the Halle Handel Prize, the Order of Merit of the State of Lower Saxony (Germany), the Medal of Honour of the City of Göttingen and a declaration of Nicholas McGegan Day by the mayor of San Francisco in recognition of his work with Philharmonia Baroque.