Sir Simon Rattle | |
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Conducting the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra in 2006
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Born |
Simon Denis Rattle 19 January 1955 Liverpool, Merseyside, England, UK |
Alma mater | Royal Academy of Music, London |
Occupation |
Conductor of classical music (active 1970–present) |
Known for | Conductor of Berlin Philharmonic, and City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra |
Spouse(s) |
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Website | www.simonrattle.co.uk |
Sir Simon Denis Rattle OM CBE (born 19 January 1955) is an English conductor.
He rose to international prominence during the 1980s and 1990s, while Music Director of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (1980–98). Simon Rattle has been principal conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic since 2002, and plans to leave his position at the end of his current contract, in 2018.
It was announced in March 2015 that Simon Rattle would become Music Director of the London Symphony Orchestra from September 2017.
Simon Rattle was born in Liverpool, the son of Pauline Lila Violet (Greening) and Denis Guttridge Rattle, a Commander in the Royal Navy. He was educated at Liverpool College. Although Rattle studied piano and violin, his early work with orchestras was as a percussionist. He entered the Royal Academy of Music (now part of the University of London), in 1971. There, his teachers included John Carewe. In 1974, his graduation year, Rattle won the John Player International Conducting Competition.
After organising and conducting a performance of Mahler's Second Symphony while he was still at the Academy, he was talent-spotted by the music agent Martin Campbell-White, of Harold Holt Ltd (now Askonas Holt Ltd), who has since managed Rattle's career. He spent the academic year 1980/81 at St Anne's College, Oxford studying English Language and Literature. He had been attracted to the college by the reputation of Dorothy Bednarowska, Fellow and Tutor in English. He was elected an Honorary Fellow of St Anne's in 1991. He was admitted to the degree of Doctor of Music honoris causa of the University of Oxford in 1999.