Rattle, Sir Simon (1955-…), is an outstanding English conductor. His dynamic style and exuberant personality have made him popular with both musicians and audiences.
Simon Denis Rattle was born on Jan. 19, 1955, in Liverpool. He played percussion in the Merseyside Youth Orchestra from the age of 8, and later, with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. In 1970, he founded the London Sinfonia and directed it for two years. After completing his musical studies at the Royal Academy of Music in London, he won an international conducting competition and a two-year contract with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and Bournemouth Sinfonietta. He made his debut at London’s Royal Festival Hall in 1975.
Rattle served as principal conductor, and later, music director, of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra from 1979 to 1998. During that period, he helped elevate the orchestra’s artistic excellence and international reputation. Rattle has displayed a special commitment to the performance of music by composers of the 1900’s and helped found the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group. But he also has given exciting performances of classic works, such as the symphonies and piano concertos of the German composer Ludwig van Beethoven.
In addition to his work at Birmingham, Rattle made guest appearances with such orchestras as the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and the London Sinfonietta. He conducted operas at the Glyndebourne Festival Opera in East Sussex, and at the English National Opera and the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London. Rattle also has often appeared outside the United Kingdom. He made his United States debut with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra in 1979 and served as its principal guest conductor from 1981 to 1994. He was a guest conductor at the Boston Symphony from 1983 to 2002, and at the Philadelphia Orchestra during the 1990’s and early 2000’s. He has also appeared with the Vienna Philharmonic.
Rattle was chief conductor and artistic director of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra from 2002 to 2018, and music director of the London Symphony Orchestra from 2017 to 2023. He became chief conductor of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra in 2023, and was appointed principal guest conductor of the Czech Philharmonic in 2024.
Rattle was knighted in 1994. He became Sir Simon Rattle. In 2014, he received the Order of Merit, for distinguished service.
