The Czech Philharmonic today named Sir Simon Rattle their next Principal Guest Conductor. As part of the five-year appointment, Sir Simon was also named the Rafael Kubelík Chair.

Sir Simon first conducted the Czech Philharmonic five years ago, but his relationship with the orchestra began much earlier. “[It started] when I was eight or nine years old. My parents gave me pocket money so I could buy recordings, and I dug into the Supraphon catalogue...That was when I discovered how unique the orchestra sounds, and especially the character of the woodwinds and the special quality of the strings. I felt like I had grown up with the Czech Philharmonic...But it was many years before I conducted that orchestra for the first time. And when that finally happened in 2019, it seemed terribly natural to me, as if I had had been standing before it since time immemorial. I fell in love with their cordiality and with their typically Czech dark humour. I instantly felt connected to the players, and I told myself: this is truly worthwhile.”

Sir Simon takes up the post alongside Music Director Semyon Bychkov, who said, “I have always believed that if I surround myself and my orchestra with exceptional people, we will be able to move ahead constantly and continue to grow. I am enormously pleased that Simon has agreed to become a part of the Czech Philharmonic family and will regularly bring to Prague his talent and vitality.”

Honoured with a knighthood in 1994 and awarded the German Order of Merit in 2022, Sir Simon is currently Chief Conductor of the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, and Conductor Laureate of the London Symphony Orchestra. Following 18 years as Music Director of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Sir Simon held the position of Chief Conductor of the Berliner Philharmoniker from 2002-18. His long-term cooperation with the Czech Philharmonic led to his appointment together with his wife, mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kožená, as Artist-in-Residence for the 2022/2023 season.

Sir Simon returns to the orchestra this week for three performances of Bruckner's Symphony No.6 and Rachmaninoff's Piano Concert No.3 with Yuja Wang as soloist.