Simon Rattle
British conductor who led the Berlin Philharmonic from 2002 to 2018.
Sir Simon Denis Rattle (born 19 January 1955) is a British conductor who rose to international prominence during the 1980s and 1990s as music director of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO), a post he held from 1980 to 1998. He then served as principal conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic from 2002 to 2018, and was music director of the London Symphony Orchestra from 2017 to 2023. Since September 2023, he has been chief conductor of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. In a 2015 Bachtrack poll, music critics ranked him among the world’s best living conductors. Born in Liverpool, Rattle studied piano and violin but first worked with orchestras as a percussionist for the Merseyside Youth Orchestra. He entered the Royal Academy of Music in 1971, where his teachers included John Carewe, and won the John Player International Conducting Competition in his graduation year of 1974. While still a student, he organised and conducted a performance of Mahler’s Second Symphony, which led to his being talent-spotted by the music agent Martin Campbell-White, who has since managed his career. Rattle also spent the 1980–81 academic year at St Anne’s College, Oxford, studying English Language and Literature. His early professional posts included assistant conductor of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra in 1974 and a role on the Glyndebourne Festival Opera music staff from 1975, where he went on to conduct over 200 performances of 13 operas over 28 years. At the CBSO, he increased both his own profile and the orchestra’s, notably through a series of 20th-century music concerts titled “Towards the Millennium” and by overseeing the orchestra’s move to the newly built Symphony Hall in 1991. He also strongly supported youth music, leading two attempts at the record for the World’s Largest Orchestra to raise awareness of school music programmes; the second attempt in 1998 succeeded with nearly 4,000 musicians. Rattle was knighted in 1994 and received the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music in 2001. He is also patron of the Birmingham Schools’ Symphony Orchestra, a role arranged during his CBSO tenure.
- known_for
- principal conductor of Berlin Philharmonic (2002–2018)
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Simon Rattle was elected by the musicians of the Berlin Philharmonic as their next chief conductor in June 1999. He made it a condition of his signing that the orchestra be turned into a self-governing public foundation with the power to make its own artistic and financial decisions. This required a change to state law, which was approved in 2001, allowing him to join the organization in 2002. In his first season, he initiated community projects, such as a performance of Stravinsky's Le Sacre du printemps danced by 250 public school children, documented in Rhythm Is It!. Rattle's contract with the orchestra was initially until 2012. In April 2008, the BPO musicians voted in favour of retaining Rattle as their chief conductor until 2018. UNICEF appointed the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and Rattle as Goodwill Ambassadors in November 2007. On 10 January 2013, the orchestra announced the scheduled end of Rattle's tenure as artistic director and chief conductor in 2018.
Reader's Guide
Rattle's significance with the Berlin Philharmonic lies in his transformative leadership and community engagement. He made it a condition of his signing that the orchestra be turned into a self-governing public foundation, which required a change to state law approved in 2001. In his first season, he initiated community projects, such as a performance of Stravinsky's Le Sacre du printemps danced by 250 public school children, documented in Rhythm Is It!. His contract was extended in April 2008 to 2018. UNICEF appointed the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and Rattle as Goodwill Ambassadors in November 2007. Rattle's tenure ended in 2018 as scheduled.
Did You Know?
- Rattle was elected by the musicians of the Berlin Philharmonic in June 1999.
- He made it a condition of his signing that the orchestra be turned into a self-governing public foundation, which required a change to state law approved in 2001.
- In his first season, he initiated a performance of Stravinsky's Le Sacre du printemps danced by 250 public school children, documented in Rhythm Is It!.
- UNICEF appointed the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and Rattle as Goodwill Ambassadors in November 2007.
- Rattle's contract was extended in April 2008 to 2018.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Simon Rattle?
Simon Rattle is a British orchestral conductor born on 19 January 1955 who became one of the most recognized figures in the classical world during the 1980s and 1990s. He is best known for his long leadership stints with three major European orchestras.
Which orchestras has Simon Rattle led?
He served as music director of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra from 1980 to 1998, then led the Berlin Philharmonic as principal conductor from 2002 through 2018. He also held the music directorship of the London Symphony Orchestra from 2017 to 2023.
How did Simon Rattle rise to international fame?
His breakthrough came during the 1980s while leading the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, a period that established his reputation across the classical music world. By the 1990s he was already regarded as one of the leading conductors of his generation.
Why is Simon Rattle considered important in classical music?
Critics and peers have consistently ranked him among the top living conductors, with a 2015 Bachtrack poll placing him in that elite tier. His influence spans multiple decades and three major European cities, making him a central figure in contemporary orchestral life.
What is Simon Rattle's nationality and when was he born?
He is British, born on 19 January 1955. His career has taken him across the UK and Germany, but his roots remain firmly British.
More in Classical Virtuosos 1-24
Related in Classical Virtuosos
Links follow this subject's own source article.
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record