the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra announced the appointment of Elder as its next principal guest conductor, effective from 1 August 2022, with an initial contract of three years through 31 July 2025. Public pronouncements Elder first conducted the Last Night of the Proms in 1987. He was scheduled to conduct again in 1990, but his remarks about the nature of some of the traditional Proms selections in the context of the impending first Gulf War led to his dismissal from that engagement. In 2006, he returned to conduct the BBC Symphony Orchestra for his second "Last Night" engagement, and used the traditional speech at the end of the concert to criticise aircraft baggage restrictions, in place following the uncovering of the 2006 transatlantic aircraft plot, which have made it difficult for musicians to carry their instruments on aircraft. In a reference to the fact that laptop computers are now allowed in aircraft cabins, Elder said, "...it seems to me that next year we should all look forward to 'Concerto for Laptop and Orchestra'." He made a plea for children to be given more opportunity to sing at school. Honours Elder was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1989 Queen's Birthday Honours. He won an Olivier Award in 1991 for his outstanding work at English National Opera. He received the 2006 conductor prize of the Royal Philharmonic Society. In April 2007, Elder was one of eight conductors of British orchestras to endorse the 10-year classical music outreach manifesto, "Building on Excellence: Orchestras for the 21st Century", to increase the presence of classical music in the UK, including giving free entry to all British schoolchildren to a classical music concert. Elder was knighted in the Queen's Birthday Honours of June 2008. He was appointed Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour (CH) in the 2017 Birthday Honours for services to music. Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment In addition to being involved in the above-named orchestras, Elder became "principal artist" of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment in December 2011. As noted in the article: "His first project with the OAE as principal artist was [to give] a performance of Berlioz's Romeo and Juliet on 18 February 2012 at the Royal Festival Hall, London." Style Describing his own conducting style, Elder has said that in contrast to Sir Adrian Boult, who was famously non-perspirational: