Sir Simon Rattle is to remain chief conductor of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and Bavarian Radio Choir until 2033, extending his tenure with the Munich-based ensembles by five years.
The 71-year-old British conductor, who took up the post in the 2023–24 season, has agreed to continue beyond his existing contract from the beginning of the 2028–29 season. Rattle’s tenure has brought with it an increase in international visibility for the orchestra, as well as a renewed emphasis on music education and outreach.
“I love these musicians, these singers, and I’ve never been happier,” Rattle said in a statement. “I can hardly wait for the coming years and look forward to them with great joy.”
Rattle’s appointment followed his departure from the London Symphony Orchestra, where he was music director from 2017 until 2023. At the BRSO, Rattle has pursued an expansive repertoire ranging from the classical canon to contemporary music, while introducing projects including the BRSO Baroque series and concert performances of opera.
His work with the Bavarian Radio Choir has similarly sought to demonstrate the ensemble’s stylistic breadth, encompassing composers from Purcell and Bach to Luciano Berio and Hans Werner Henze, alongside opera, choral symphonies and a cappella repertoire.
Katja Wildermuth, director general of Bavarian Radio, said the extension was “excellent news” for the broadcaster and the wider international music community.
She praised Rattle for shaping the orchestra and choir with “artistic brilliance, passion, and tireless spirit of discovery”, while highlighting his commitment to bringing music to young people and widening access to the arts.
Rattle’s tenure has also been marked by a strong emphasis on taking classical music beyond the traditional concert hall. Projects including ‘Symphonic Hoagascht’, inspired by the Bavarian tradition of informal musical gatherings, and ‘Singing with Sir Simon’ have brought professional musicians together with amateur performers, choirs and brass bands from across Bavaria.
The conductor’s extended appointment is also a vote of confidence in the orchestra’s international ambitions. Under Rattle, the BRSO and BR choir have expanded their presence through tours in Europe and Asia.
The ensembles’ boards said the extension represented the continuation of a successful artistic partnership, arguing that music had a particular role in bringing people together across national and social divisions.
“We are extremely happy to be able to continue this shared path with Simon Rattle,” they said.
In May this year, Rattle was awarded the Bavarian Maximilian Order for Science and Art, one of the state’s highest honours. In 2025 he received the Ernst von Siemens Music Prize for his lifetime contribution to music.
Reflecting on the future, Rattle recalled a message from the celebrated conductor Herbert Blomstedt for his 70th birthday, in which Blomstedt expressed the hope that Rattle would live as long as he had and spend many more years conducting the BRSO.
“That’s certainly far beyond the term of this contract and probably beyond what’s humanly possible,” Rattle said. “But, as is so often the case, on a deeper level he’s absolutely right.”
