Simon Rattle

Simon Rattle is a British conductor renowned for his transformative artistic leadership of major orchestras and his passionate advocacy for music education. He first gained international prominence as the principal conductor and artistic adviser of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, a position he held for nearly two decades. His subsequent tenure as chief conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic solidified his status as one of the preeminent conductors of his generation, and he later returned to the United Kingdom as Music Director of the London Symphony Orchestra. Known for his energetic podium style and expansive repertoire, his work has been recognized with numerous honours, including a knighthood and the Order of Merit.

Early life and education

Born in Liverpool, he showed an early aptitude for music, beginning piano and violin lessons as a child. His family later moved to Merseyside, where his interest in conducting was sparked after seeing a performance by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic. He received his formal musical education at the Royal Academy of Music in London, where he won the academy's principal conducting prize in 1974. During this period, he also founded and conducted the Liverpool Sinfonia and gained valuable experience as an assistant conductor with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.

Career

His professional breakthrough came in 1974 when he won the John Player International Conducting Competition, leading to guest engagements with several major British orchestras, including the BBC Symphony Orchestra and the Philharmonia Orchestra. In 1980, he was appointed principal conductor and artistic adviser of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, a partnership that would last eighteen years and become legendary. Under his direction, the orchestra's reputation soared, marked by acclaimed recordings, international tours, and the move to a new home at Symphony Hall, Birmingham. His innovative programming, particularly of 20th-century works by composers like Gustav Mahler, Igor Stravinsky, and Béla Bartók, alongside a commitment to contemporary music and community outreach, redefined the orchestra's identity.

Berlin Philharmonic tenure

In 1999, he was elected chief conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic, succeeding Claudio Abbado, and began his tenure in 2002. His time in Berlin was characterized by ambitious projects, including celebrated cycles of the symphonies of Gustav Mahler and Ludwig van Beethoven, and groundbreaking stagings of operas like Igor Stravinsky's The Rake's Progress and Leoš Janáček's The Cunning Little Vixen at the Salzburg Festival. He also founded the orchestra's pioneering education program, the Berlin Philharmonic's Education Programme, and expanded its digital presence with the Digital Concert Hall. His contract was extended several times, culminating in his departure in 2018 after sixteen years at the helm.

Later career and London Symphony Orchestra

Following his Berlin tenure, he assumed the position of Music Director of the London Symphony Orchestra in 2017, a role he held until 2023. With the LSO, he championed large-scale works, leading performances of Hector Berlioz's Les Troyens and complete cycles of the symphonies of Anton Bruckner. He also maintained a busy international guest conducting schedule with ensembles such as the Vienna Philharmonic, the Concertgebouw Orchestra, and the Philadelphia Orchestra. In 2023, he began a new role as Principal Conductor of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, while also serving as Conductor Emeritus of the Berlin Philharmonic and Artist in Residence at the Ojai Music Festival.

Personal life and honours

He has been married three times: first to American soprano Elise Ross, then to writer Candace Allen, and since 2008 to Czech mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kožená, with whom he has children. He was knighted in 1994 and appointed a member of the Order of Merit by Queen Elizabeth II in 2014. His many other accolades include multiple Grammy Awards, the Ernst von Siemens Music Prize, and the Shostakovich Prize. A committed educator, he has been closely associated with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and various youth orchestra initiatives, including the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra.

Category:British conductors Category:1955 births Category:Living people Category:Recipients of the Order of Merit