Kirill Petrenko

During an orchestra assembly on 21 June 2015, Kirill Petrenko was elected by a large majority of the members of the Berlin Philharmonic as Chief Conductor Designate of the orchestra and Artistic Director of the Berliner Philharmoniker Foundation. He succeeds Simon Rattle, who will leave the orchestra in August 2018.

Kirill Petrenko commented: 'Words cannot express my feelings - everything from euphoria and great joy to awe and disbelief. I am aware of the responsibility and high expectations placed in me, and I will do everything in my power to be a worthy conductor of this outstanding orchestra. Above all, however, I hope for many moments of artistic happiness in our music-making together which will reward our hard work and fill our lives as artists with meaning.'

Orchestra Board members Ulrich Knörzer and Peter Riegelbauer said: 'We are extremely pleased that Kirill Petrenko has accepted his election as Chief Conductor Designate of our orchestra. We look forward to our musical future together with great confidence.'

General Manager Martin Hoffmann: 'As General Manager of the Berliner Philharmoniker Foundation I am delighted about the election and offer the orchestra and Kirill Petrenko my hearty congratulations.'

Simon Rattle: 'I have admired Kirill Petrenko for years, and I am delighted that he will be my successor with this wonderful orchestra. I congratulate the Philharmoniker on making such a forward-looking decision.'

Russian conductor Kirill Petrenko was born at Omsk in 1972. Initially he studied piano. Moving with his family to Austria, he studied music at the Vorarlberger Landeskonservatorium in Feldkirch, and then studied conducting in Vienna, making his conducting debut in opera in 1995. From 1997 until 1999 he was Kapellmeister at the Vienna Volksoper. From 1999 until 2002 he was Generalmusikdirektor of the Südthüringisches Staatstheater, Das Meininger Theater at Meiningen in Germany. From 2002 until 2007 he was Generalmusikdirektor of Komische Oper Berlin, and in 2013 he became Generalmusikdirektor of Bavarian State Opera.

The orchestra had previously found some difficulty in making a decision. On 11 May 2015, one-hundred-and-twenty-three members of the orchestra had met in secret to vote for a new chief conductor and artistic director, to replace Simon Rattle in 2018.

On that occasion, Peter Riegelbauer stated: 'After an orchestra assembly which lasted eleven hours, we have unfortunately come to no decision. There were positive and lively discussions and several rounds of voting, but unfortunately we were unable to agree on a conductor.'

'We must continue this process and this election. That will have to take place within one year. We are very confident that we will come to a decision then. The process of this election will be continued, and the orchestra assembly will meet regularly, but we will take the time that is necessary. That can last one year.'

The mood during the 11 May assembly was described by all participants as very constructive, cooperative and friendly. Meanwhile, whilst journalists and editors waited naively for a result, all afternoon and most of the evening, speculation on social media was rife, with discussion of favourite candidates including Andris Nelsons, Gustavo Dudamel, Riccardo Chailly, Christian Thielemann and Daniel Barenboim. There was even a fake 'tweet', supposedly from orchestra member Sarah Willis, announcing a winner, and given publicity by a well-known UK-based magazine which should have known better.

Information: www.berliner-philharmoniker.de

Posted: 23 June 2015

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