Mirga Grazinyte-Tyla

The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra has announced that Lithuanian conductor Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla has been appointed the CBSO's twelfth music director, with effect from September 2016 for an initial three-year period.

Gražinytė-Tyla made her CBSO debut in July 2015 and impressed the orchestra so much that she returned in January 2016 to conduct a specially arranged concert featuring works by Debussy, Schumann and Sibelius. Following an extensive search process led by a committee made up of CBSO musicians, board members and management, and with strong support from orchestra and audience alike, a unanimous decision was made by the board of trustees to invite Gražinytė-Tyla to be the CBSO's next Music Director. She succeeds Andris Nelsons, who held the position from 2008-2015.

The CBSO is known for performing the widest range of orchestral and choral music, and Gražinytė-Tyla will continue this tradition in her role as Music Director. Her artistic plans with the CBSO will range widely from Mozart and Haydn to twentieth century classics and works by living composers. Coming from the strong choral traditions of the Baltic states - her father is a choir conductor in Lithuania - and following her role in Salzburg, she will also lead opera projects in Birmingham and will work closely with CBSO Chorus Director Simon Halsey on projects with the CBSO's internationally renowned choruses. Full details of the CBSO's 2016-17 concert season in Symphony Hall, Birmingham, UK will be announced in April 2016.

Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla was born in Vilnius in 1986 into a musical family, but initially studied French and painting, until deciding to study music from the age of eleven, choosing choral conducting, and first conducting a choir at the age of thirteen. She continued her studies in Austria and graduated in 2007, and also studied in Zurich, Leipzig and Bologna. She became Second Kapellmeister in Heidelberg for the 2011-12 season, won the Nestlé and Salzburg Young Conductors Competition in 2012, and became First Kapellmeister in Bern (2013-14) then music director of the Salzburger Landestheater for the 2015-16 season. She has also worked with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and is that orchestra's Associate Conductor until 2017.

Information: cbso.co.uk

Posted: 15 February 2016

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