Daniel Harding has been awarded a CBE for services to music in the Queen’s New Year Honours 2021. The title recognises his outstanding career to date and his continuing contributions to the classical music industry both within the UK and internationally.

Having started his career as an assistant to Sir Simon Rattle at the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, he was invited to make his debut with the orchestra in 1994, at the age of 19. He went on to become Claudio Abbado’s assistant at the Berliner Philharmoniker, with whom he made his debut just two years later at the age of 21. That same year he became the youngest conductor to have ever appeared at the BBC Proms in the Royal Albert Hall.

Daniel now works each season with the world’s finest orchestras, appearing regularly with the Berliner Philharmoniker, Wiener Philharmoniker, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks and the London Symphony Orchestra.

He is Music and Artistic Director of the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, and has been honoured with the lifetime title Conductor Laureate of the Mahler Chamber Orchestra. He was Music Director of the Orchestre de Paris from 2016 – 19 and Principle Guest Conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra from 2007 – 2017. During his time with these orchestras, he brought them all the BBC Proms in London, as well as the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, Scharoun Ensemble, Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen and the Wiener Philharmoniker.

It’s not the first time he has been honoured by a head of state. In 2002, Daniel was awarded the title Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts des Lettres by the French Government, and in 2017 he was nominated to the position Officier Arts Lettres.