The Bamberg Symphony (German: Bamberger Symphoniker – Bayerische Staatsphilharmonie) is a renowned German orchestra top-class orchestra that has been residing in

Bamberg Bamberg (, , ; East Franconian German, East Franconian: ''Bambärch'') is a town in Upper Franconia district in Bavaria, Germany, on the river Regnitz close to its confluence with the river Main (river), Main. Bamberg had 79,000 inhabitants in ...

since its foundation in 1946 and travels the world as a touring orchestra. The Bamberg Symphony was founded in 1946 by musicians who as a result of the

Beneš decrees The Beneš decrees were a series of laws drafted by the Czechoslovak government-in-exile in the absence of the Czechoslovak parliament during the German occupation of Czechoslovakia in World War II. They were issued by President Edvard Beneš fr ...

had been driven out of Bohemia, Moravia, the Czech Sudetenland as well as from German cities and had ended up in Bamberg. The „core” of the orchestra comprised former members of the German Philharmonic Orchestra

Prague Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...

. The first concert of the orchestra was performed on March 20, 1946, in Bamberg. In July 1946, the orchestra was renamed the „Bamberg Symphony“ (German: Bamberger Symphoniker). The orchestra is recognized as an outstanding touring orchestra and has performed more than 7,500 concerts in 64 countries and over 530 cities in its history. It has worked with more than 500 guest conductors to date. Since 2004, it has held the title of state orchestra. The orchestra's musical roots trace back to

Mahler Gustav Mahler (; 7 July 1860 – 18 May 1911) was an Austro-Bohemian Romantic composer, and one of the leading conductors of his generation. As a composer he acted as a bridge between the 19th-century Austro-German tradition and the modernism ...

and

Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 1756 – 5 December 1791) was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition and proficiency from an early age ...

, and it is well known for its characteristic dark, full and resonant sound. Since the fall of 2016, the orchestra has been led by its sixth Chief Conductor, Czech-born

Jakub Hrůša Jakub Hrůša (born 23 July 1981 in Brno) is a Czech conductor. He is chief conductor of the Bamberg Symphony. Education Hrůša is the son of the architect . There were no professional musicians in his family who were drawn mainly from technica ...

. The Bamberg Symphony Orchestra is based in the Bamberg Concert Hall, which was opened in 1993 and acoustically optimized in 2008 by the Japanese acoustic designer

Yasuhisa Toyota (born 1952) is a Japanese acoustician, who has been chief acoustician for over 50 projects worldwide, including the Walt Disney Concert Hall, Suntory Hall in Tokyo, the Bard College Performing Arts Center in New York, the Elbphilharmonie in H ...

and has the nickname ''Sinfonie an der Regnitz'' (Symphony on the Regnitz). 2009 saw the concert hall undergo a comprehensive renovation and modernization following a concept by the designer Peter Schmidt.

History

The link between Bamberg and Prague dates back to the 18th century: the orchestra of the Estates Theatre in Prague is regarded as the predecessor of the orchestra that performed under the directorship of

Carl Maria von Weber Carl Maria Friedrich Ernst von Weber (5 June 1826) was a German composer, conductor, virtuoso pianist, guitarist, and Music criticism, critic in the early Romantic music, Romantic period. Best known for List of operas by Carl Maria von Weber, h ...

from 1813 to 1816. The city's German theatre was also influenced by eminent artists such as

Gustav Mahler Gustav Mahler (; 7 July 1860 – 18 May 1911) was an Austro-Bohemian Romantic music, Romantic composer, and one of the leading conductors of his generation. As a composer he acted as a bridge between the 19th-century Austro-German tradition and ...

. After the German occupation, the orchestra was re-established as the German Philharmonic Orchestra Prague. This orchestra performed under the direction of

Joseph Keilberth Joseph Keilberth (19 April 1908 – 20 July 1968) was a German conductor who specialised in opera. Career Keilberth began his career in the State Theatre of his native city, Karlsruhe, joining as a répétiteur in 1925 and conducting from 193 ...

in Prague until the end of the Second World War. The musicians had to flee in May 1945 during the

Prague uprising The Prague uprising () was a partially successful attempt by the Czech resistance movement to liberate the city of Prague from German occupation in May 1945, during the end of World War II. The preceding six years of occupation had fuelled an ...

. After the end of the Second World War, a number of top German-speaking musicians from Bohemia and Moravia arrived in Bamberg, after having been expelled by the Beneš decrees. The majority of these musicians, roughly two thirds, were former members of the German Philharmonic Orchestra Prague, who formed the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra in 1946. The founding of the orchestra was decisively due to the commitment of a Bamberg citizens' committee. The first public concert was held under the name „Bamberger Tonkünstlerorchester“ before the orchestra was renamed ‘Bamberger Symphoniker’ shortly after. The first conductors included Hans Schneider, Konrad Lechner,

Hans Knappertsbusch Hans Knappertsbusch (12 March 1888 – 25 October 1965) was a German conductor, best known for his performances of the music of Wagner, Bruckner and Richard Strauss. Knappertsbusch followed the traditional route for an aspiring conductor in Ger ...

Herbert Albert Herbert Albert (26 December 1903 – 15 September 1973) was a German conductor. Albert was born in Bad Lausick and died in Bad Reichenhall. After studying with Karl Muck as a pianist he later held a succession of music director positions in ...

Georg Ludwig Jochum Georg Ludwig Jochum (sometimes hyphenated as Georg-Ludwig Jochum) (10 December 1909 – 1 November 1970) was a German conductor and younger brother of better-known conductor Eugen Jochum. He was born in Babenhausen near Augsburg, Germany. After ...

and finally

, who conducted his first concert in Bamberg in 1949. This reunion with Keilberth was a momentous milestone for the orchestra. In September 2016,

became the sixth Chief Conductor of the Bamberg Symphony, with an initial contract of four seasons. In June 2018, the orchestra announced the extension of Hrůša's contract as its chief conductor through the 2025–2026 season. In December 2023, the orchestra announced a further extension of Hrůša's contract as chief conductor through the 2028–2029 season.

Chief conductors

(1949–1968) *

James Loughran James Loughran (30 June 1931 – 19 June 2024) was a Scottish conductor, the first British conductor to be appointed chief of a major German orchestra. Early life Educated at St Aloysius' College in Glasgow, Loughran conducted at school and ...

(1979–1983) *

Witold Rowicki Witold Rowicki (born ''Witold Kałka'', 26 February 1914 – 1 October 1989) was a Polish conductor. He held principal conducting positions with the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra and the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra. Witold Lutoslawski's Conc ...

(1983–1985) *

Horst Stein Horst Walter Stein (2 May 1928 – 27 July 2008) was a German conductor. Biography Stein was born in Elberfeld, Germany; his father was a mechanic. At school in Frankfurt, he studied piano, oboe, and singing. Later, he continued studies ...

(1985–1996) *

Jonathan Nott Jonathan Nott (born 25 December 1962, in Solihull, England) is an English conductor. Biography The son of a priest at Worcester Cathedral, Nott was a music student and choral scholar at St John's College, Cambridge, and also studied singing an ...

(2000–2016) *

(2016–present)

Joseph Keilberth

A key figure in the history of the Bamberg Symphony was

, who officially took up the post of Chief Conductor in Bamberg in January 1950. His artistic work, his reputation and his stringent approach to programming could hardly be overestimated in terms of shaping the Bamberg Symphony's national and international profile. From the very beginning, Keilberth's aim was to increase the number of radio recordings with the orchestra and to go on a tour in Germany and abroad. In May 1950, as part of a grant from the

Free State of Bavaria Bavaria, officially the Free State of Bavaria, is a state in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest German state by land area, comprising approximately 1/5 of the total land area of Germany, and with over 13.08 million ...

, the administrative district of Upper Franconia and the City of Bamberg, a work agreement was also signed with the Bavarian Broadcasting (

Bayerischer Rundfunk (; "Bavarian Broadcasting"), shortened to BR (), is a public broadcasting, public-service radio and television broadcaster, based in Munich, capital city of the Bavaria, Free State of Bavaria in Germany. BR is a member organization of the ARD (b ...

), which scheduled a constant number of productions – the beginning of a media partnership that continues to this day. During the Keilberth era, numerous renowned guest conductors were invited to conduct the „Bamberger“, including

Eugen Jochum Eugen Jochum (; 1 November 1902 – 26 March 1987) was a German conducting, conductor, best known for his interpretations of the music of Anton Bruckner, Carl Orff, and Johannes Brahms, among others. Biography Jochum was born to a Roman Catholic ...

Hans Rosbaud Hans Rosbaud (22 July 1895 – 29 December 1962) was an Austrian conductor, particularly associated with the music of the twentieth century. Biography Rosbaud was born in Graz. As children, he and his brother Paul Rosbaud performed with thei ...

Fritz Lehmann Fritz Lehmann (17 May 190430 March 1956) was a noted German conductor, whose career was cut short by his early death at the age of 51. His repertoire ranged from the Baroque through to contemporary works, in both the concert hall and the opera ...

Georg Solti Sir Georg Solti ( , ; born György Stern; 21 October 1912 – 5 September 1997) was a Hungarian-British orchestral and operatic conductor, known for his appearances with opera companies in Munich, Frankfurt, and London, and as a long-servi ...

Clemens Krauss Clemens Heinrich Krauss (31 March 189316 May 1954) was an Austrian conducting, conductor and opera impresario, particularly associated with the music of Richard Strauss, Johann Strauss and Richard Wagner. He founded the Vienna New Year's Concert ...

Lovro von Matačić Lovro von Matačić (14 February 1899 – 4 January 1985) was a Croatian conductor and composer. Early life Lovro von Matačić was born in Sušak, Rijeka, Sušak to a family that was granted a noble title in the early 17th century. Growing up, ...

Heinrich Hollreiser Heinrich Hollreiser (24 June 1913 – 24 July 2006) was a German conductor. Born in Munich, he attended the State Academy of Music there and went on to serve as the conductor at the opera houses in Wiesbaden, Darmstadt, Mannheim, and Duisburg. ...

Robert Heger Robert Heger (19 August 1886 – 14 January 1978) was a German conductor and composer from Strasbourg, Alsace-Lorraine. Life and career He studied at the Conservatory of Strasbourg under Franz Stockhausen, then in Zurich under Lothar Kempt ...

André Cluytens Augustin Zulma Alphonse "André" Cluytens (, ; 26 March 19053 June 1967)Baeck E. ''André Cluytens: Itinéraire d’un chef d’orchestre.'' Editions Mardaga, Wavre, 2009. was a Belgian-born French conducting, conductor who was active in the conce ...

Heinz Wallberg Heinz Wallberg (16 March 192329 September 2004) was a German conductor. Wallberg was born in Herringen, Westphalia. He studied trumpet, violin and piano. He helped to support his family with his musical training after his father became unabl ...

and

Rudolf Kempe Rudolf Kempe (14 June 1910 – 12 May 1976) was a German conductor. Biography Kempe was born in Dresden, where from the age of fourteen he studied at the Dresden State Opera School. He played oboe in the opera orchestra of Dortmund and ...

. The great concert hall of the Bamberg Concert and Congress Hall, which has been home to the Bamberg Symphony since 1993, is named after Joseph Keilberth.

Eugen Jochum – James Loughran – Horst Stein

After Keilberth's death in 1968,

took over the artistic responsibility for the orchestra. Jochum's worldwide recognition as a Bruckner interpreter and his successes at the Würzburg Mozart Festival had cemented his reputation. In 1971, Jochum took over the position of Chief Conductor, and from 1973 he remained in close contact with the orchestra as a guest conductor. On the occasion of his 76th birthday, the Bamberg Symphony awarded Jochum the title of Honorary Conductor in November 1978. As Jochum's successor, the Hungarian István Kertész was introduced, but died in a swimming accident on the beach in Tel Aviv a few months before taking up his post, on 16 April 1973. In the following 1973/1974 season, nine guest conductors took the baton in Bamberg, as the position of Chief Conductor was still vacant. On 1 April 1977, the Scotsman

finally introduced himself to the Bamberg Symphony as guest conductor. Like some of his predecessors, he drew public attention to the need for a suitable venue for the orchestra. On 4 February 1984, Loughran conducted his last concert with the Bamberg Symphony and the collaboration ended by mutual agreement on 31 August 1983. The Polish conductor

took over as interim artistic director until his successor took office. The collaboration with him lasted until his death in 1989.

became the orchestra's Chief Conductor in 1985. His debut on the podium was followed by a partnership agreement between the orchestra and the

Ariola Ariola (also known as Ariola Records, Ariola Express, Ariola-Eurodisc and BMG Ariola) is a German record label. In the late 1980s, it was a subsidiary label of the Bertelsmann Music Group, which in turn has become a part of the international ...

record label. One of the milestones was the complete recording of Schubert's symphonies in collaboration with the Bayerischer Rundfunk in 1986. Together with Horst Stein, the Bamberg Symphony travelled through Germany and to the major European music capitals as well as several times to Asia and South America, for example. The Bamberg Symphony's first concert in Prague, the city of its historical roots, also took place under his baton in 1991. After the ground-breaking ceremony for the construction of the new concert hall on 25 November 1989, Stein conducted the opening concert in the newly erected Bamberg Concert Hall in September 1993 with Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 8, the „Symphony of a Thousand“. Stein held his post until 1996 and was appointed Honorary Conductor of the Bamberg Symphony.

Jonathan Nott

From January 2000,

was Chief Conductor in Bamberg and took over the baton from his predecessors with enormous success. With him, a new profiling of the orchestra began, which involved turning more towards 20th century and contemporary music. In September 2011, Jonathan Nott extended his contract in Bamberg until 2016. Jonathan Nott regularly performed with the Bamberg Symphony at all the major national and international festivals and went on numerous concert tours domestic and abroad. The performance in Castel Gandolfo in honour of

Pope Benedict XVI Pope BenedictXVI (born Joseph Alois Ratzinger; 16 April 1927 – 31 December 2022) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 19 April 2005 until his resignation on 28 February 2013. Benedict's election as p ...

on the occasion of the 1,000th anniversary of the diocese in Bamberg is one of the outstanding milestones of his era. During his tenure, Jonathan Nott focused on the symphonies of

Franz Schubert Franz Peter Schubert (; ; 31 January 179719 November 1828) was an Austrian composer of the late Classical period (music), Classical and early Romantic music, Romantic eras. Despite his short life, Schubert left behind a List of compositions ...

Ludwig van Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. He is one of the most revered figures in the history of Western music; his works rank among the most performed of the classical music repertoire ...

and

Johannes Brahms Johannes Brahms (; ; 7 May 1833 – 3 April 1897) was a German composer, virtuoso pianist, and conductor of the mid-Romantic period (music), Romantic period. His music is noted for its rhythmic vitality and freer treatment of dissonance, oft ...

, the classical modernism of

Béla Bartók Béla Viktor János Bartók (; ; 25 March 1881 – 26 September 1945) was a Hungarian composer, pianist and ethnomusicologist. He is considered one of the most important composers of the 20th century; he and Franz Liszt are regarded as Hunga ...

and

Igor Stravinsky Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky ( – 6 April 1971) was a Russian composer and conductor with French citizenship (from 1934) and American citizenship (from 1945). He is widely considered one of the most important and influential 20th-century c ...

, as well as the works of

György Ligeti György Sándor Ligeti (; ; 28 May 1923 – 12 June 2006) was a Hungarian-Austrian composer of contemporary classical music. He has been described as "one of the most important avant-garde music, avant-garde composers in the latter half of the ...

. Works by

Jörg Widmann Jörg Widmann (; born 19 June 1973) is a German composer, conductor and clarinetist. In 2023, Widmann was the third most performed living contemporary composer in the world. Formerly a clarinet and composition professor at the University of ...

Wolfgang Rihm Wolfgang Rihm (; 13 March 1952 – 27 July 2024) was a German composer of contemporary classical music and an academic teacher based in Karlsruhe. He was an influential post-war European composer, as "one of the most original and independent mus ...

Mark-Anthony Turnage Mark-Anthony Turnage (born 10 June 1960) is an English composer of contemporary classical music. Life and career Mark-Anthony Turnage was born in Corringham, Essex on 10 June 1960. Turnage was the eldest of three children. His parents were lov ...

and

Bruno Mantovani Bruno Mantovani (born 8 October 1974) is a French composer. He has been awarded first prizes from the Conservatoire de Paris which he joined in 1993. His work has been commissioned by the French government as well as other organizations. In Septe ...

received their world or German premieres in concerts of the Bamberg Symphony under Jonathan Nott, who was also responsible for concert performances of Beethoven's „

Fidelio ''Fidelio'' (; ), originally titled ' (''Leonore, or The Triumph of Marital Love''), Opus number, Op. 72, is the sole opera by German composer Ludwig van Beethoven. The libretto was originally prepared by Joseph Sonnleithner from the French of ...

“ and Richard Wagner's „Ring des Nibelungen“ and „

Tristan und Isolde ''Tristan und Isolde'' (''Tristan and Isolde''), WWV 90, is a music drama in three acts by Richard Wagner set to a German libretto by the composer, loosely based on the medieval 12th-century romance ''Tristan and Iseult'' by Gottfried von Stras ...

“. Finally, the orchestra began focussing on the music of Mahler. The Bamberg Symphony has long been recognised as one of the world's leading Mahler orchestras. In 2013, they completed the CD cycle of all of Gustav Mahler's symphonies – a complete recording whose individual recordings have repeatedly been honoured with prestigious awards over the years, such as the MIDEM Classical Award or the International Record Prize „Toblacher Komponierhäuschen“.

Jakub Hrůša

In autumn 2016,

succeeded Jonathan Nott and became the sixth Chief Conductor in the history of the Bamberg Symphony. It is the first time that a Czech has been appointed Chief Conductor of the orchestra. Hrůša cultivates the distinctive „Bohemian sound“ and focuses on masterpieces of music history as well as world premieres and discoveries in his programming. In May 2019, the Bamberg Symphony opened the 74th Prague Spring Music Festival with him with the famous symphonic poem „

Má vlast (), also known as ''My Fatherland'', is a set of six symphonic poems composed between 1874 and 1879 by the Czech composer Bedřich Smetana. The six pieces, conceived as individual works, are often presented and recorded as a single work in si ...

“ from their Bohemian homeland. Their first CD together was released shortly after Hrůša took office in October 2016, with Bedrich Smetana's „Má vlast“ (My Fatherland) on the label Tudor. Since then, the orchestra and its conductor have been working on a Brahms-Dvořák edition in addition to other projects. On each of the four CDs already released as part of the project, a symphony by

Brahms Johannes Brahms (; ; 7 May 1833 – 3 April 1897) was a German composer, virtuoso pianist, and conductor of the mid- Romantic period. His music is noted for its rhythmic vitality and freer treatment of dissonance, often set within studied ye ...

is paired with a symphony by Dvořák. Another important work is the symphony cycles by

Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. He is one of the most revered figures in the history of Western music; his works rank among the most performed of the classical music repertoire ...

Bruckner Joseph Anton Bruckner (; ; 4 September 182411 October 1896) was an Austrian composer and organist best known for his symphonies and sacred music, which includes Masses, Te Deum and motets. The symphonies are considered emblematic of the final ...

and Martinů. The intention is to discover the German-Czech musical tradition. The regular recordings and productions with renowned artists on the podium and on the instrument attract widespread public and professional attention. As a conductor, Hrůša has received numerous awards and nominations for his discography. Most recently, he was honoured with the Bamberg Symphony in 2022 and 2023 with the ICMA Award for Symphonic Music for his recordings of

Hans Rott Johann Nepomuk Karl Maria Rott (1 August 1858 – 25 June 1884) was an Austrian composer and organist. His music is little-known today, though he received high praise in his time from Gustav Mahler and Anton Bruckner. He left a symphony and ' ...

's Symphony No. 1 and

's Symphony No. 4. In 2023, he was also named Opus Klassik Conductor of the Year for his recording of Rott's Symphony No. 1. Hrůša was the first recipient of the Sir Charles Mackerras Prize in 2015. In 2020, he was honoured with the Antonín Dvořák Prize of the Czech Academy of Classical Music. In the same year, the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra received the Bavarian State Prize for Music under his direction. After Hrůša was made an honorary member of the

Royal Academy of Music The Royal Academy of Music (RAM) in London, England, is one of the oldest music schools in the UK, founded in 1822 by John Fane and Nicolas-Charles Bochsa. It received its royal charter in 1830 from King George IV with the support of the firs ...

in London in April 2023, he was awarded the Bavarian Culture Prize on 16 November 2023 for his services to the Bamberg Symphony. Hrůša also serves as president of the jury of The Mahler Competition, now the most important conducting competition of its kind, which took place for the seventh time in Bamberg in 2023.

CEOs, Honorary and Guest Conductors

CEO

* 1946–81: Hella Rappoldi * 1981–95: Rolf Beck * 1996–97: Francis Hunter * 1999–2001: Matthias Weigmann * 2002–08: Paul Müller * 2008–13: Wolfgang Fink * 2013–present: Marcus Rudolf Axt

Honorary Conductors

, 1996 #

Herbert Blomstedt Herbert Thorson Blomstedt (; born 11 July 1927) is a Swedish conductor of classical music. At the age of 97 he continues to conduct concerts in Europe and the United States. Biography Herbert Blomstedt was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, t ...

, appointment for life 2006 #

Christoph Eschenbach Christoph Eschenbach (; born 20 February 1940) is a German pianist and conductor. Early life Eschenbach was born on 20 February 1940 in Breslau, Germany (now Wrocław, Poland) as Christoph Ringmann. His parents were Margarethe (née Jaross), a ...

, 2016 #

Manfred Honeck Manfred Honeck (born 17 September 1958, in Nenzing) is an Austrian conductor. He is currently the music director of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Early life Honeck was born in Nenzing, Austria, near the border with Switzerland and Liechte ...

, 2023

Guest Conductors

Guest conductors who have worked with the Bamberg Symphony to date include (in alphabetical order) * Semyon Bychkow *

Riccardo Chailly Riccardo Chailly (, ; born 20 February 1953) is an Italian conductor. He is currently music director of the Lucerne Festival Orchestra and of La Scala. Prior to this, he held chief conducting positions at the Gewandhausorchester (2005–20 ...

Sergiu Celibidache Sergiu Celibidache (; ; 13 August 1996) was a Romanian people, Romanian Conducting, conductor, composer, musical theorist, and teacher. Educated in his native Romania, and later in Paris and Berlin, Celibidache's career in music spanned over fi ...

Christoph von Dohnányi Christoph von Dohnányi (; born 8 September 1929) is a German conducting, conductor. Biography Youth and World War II Dohnányi was born in Berlin, Germany to Hans von Dohnanyi, a German jurist of Hungarian ancestry, and Christine von Dohnan ...

Gustavo Dudamel Gustavo Adolfo Dudamel Ramírez (born 26 January 1981) is a Venezuelan conductor. He is currently the music director of the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. He is scheduled to become the Music and Artistic ...

Ádám Fischer Ádám Fischer (born 9 September 1949 in Budapest) is a Hungarian conductor. He is the general music director of the Austro-Hungarian Haydn Orchestra, chief conductor of the Danish Chamber Orchestra, and principal conductor of the Düsseldorf ...

Iván Fischer Iván Fischer (born 20 January 1951) is a Hungarian conductor and composer. Biography Born in Budapest into a musical family of Jewish heritage, Fischer initially studied piano, violin, cello and composition in Budapest. His older brother, ...

Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos (born Rafael Frühbeck; 15 September 1933 – 11 June 2014) was a Spanish conductor and composer. Frühbeck was born in Burgos, Spain to a family of German ancestry. He first took up conducting while on military serv ...

* Alan Gilbert *

Daniel Harding Daniel John Harding (born 31 August 1975) is a British conductor and airplane pilot. Biography Harding was born in Oxford. He studied trumpet at Chetham's School of Music and was a member of the National Youth Orchestra at age 13. At age 17, ...

Paul Hindemith Paul Hindemith ( ; ; 16 November 189528 December 1963) was a German and American composer, music theorist, teacher, violist and conductor. He founded the Amar Quartet in 1921, touring extensively in Europe. As a composer, he became a major advo ...

Marek Janowski Marek Janowski (born 18 February 1939 in Warsaw) is a Polish-born German conductor. Biography Janowski grew up in Wuppertal, near Cologne, after his mother traveled there at the start of World War II to be with her parents. His father disappear ...

Mariss Jansons Mariss Ivars Georgs Jansons (14 January 1943 – 1 December 2019) was a Latvian Conducting, conductor, best known for his interpretations of Gustav Mahler, Mahler, Richard Strauss, Strauss, and Russian composers such as Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, ...

Paavo Järvi Paavo Järvi (; born 30 December 1962) is an Estonian conductor. He has been chief conductor of Zurich's Tonhalle since 2020. Early life Järvi was born in Tallinn, Estonia (then occupied by the Soviet Union), to Liilia Järvi and the Estoni ...

Aram Khatchaturian Aram Ilyich Khachaturian (; 1 May 1978) was a Soviet Armenian composer and conductor. He is considered one of the leading Soviet composers. Khachaturian was born and raised in Tbilisi (now the capital of Georgia). He moved to Moscow in 1921 fo ...

Ferdinand Leitner Ferdinand Leitner (4 March 1912 in Berlin – 3 June 1996 in Zürich) was a German conductor. Leitner studied under Franz Schreker, Julius Prüwer, Artur Schnabel and Karl Muck. He also was a composition student with Robert Kahn. Starting as a ...

Witold Lutosławski Witold Roman Lutosławski (; 25 January 1913 – 7 February 1994) was a Polish composer and conductor. Among the major composers of 20th-century classical music, he is "generally regarded as the most significant Polish composer since Szymanow ...

Ingo Metzmacher Ingo Metzmacher (born 10 November 1957) is a German conductor and artistic director of the festival KunstFestSpiele Herrenhausen in Hanover. Life Metzmacher was born in Hanover, the son of the cellist Rudolf Metzmacher and the research biol ...

Kent Nagano Kent George Nagano (born November 22, 1951) is an American conductor and opera administrator. Since 2015, he has been ''Generalmusikdirektor'' (GMD) of the Hamburg State Opera (until 2025). Early life and education Nagano was born in Berkeley, ...

Andris Nelsons Andris Nelsons (born 18 November 1978) is a Latvian conductor. He is currently music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and ''Gewandhauskapellmeister'' of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra. He was previously music director of the Lat ...

Václav Neumann Václav Neumann (29 October 1920 – 2 September 1995) was a Czech conductor, violinist, violist, and opera director. Life and career Neumann was born in Prague, where he studied at the Prague Conservatory with Josef Micka (violin), and ...

Roger Norrington Sir Roger Arthur Carver Norrington (born 16 March 1934) is an English conductor. He is known for historically informed performances of Baroque, Classical and Romantic music. In November 2021 Norrington announced his retirement. Life Norri ...

Antonio Pappano Sir Antonio Pappano (born 30 December 1959) is an English-Italian conductor and pianist. He is currently music director of the Royal Opera House and chief conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra. Early life Pappano was born in Epping, Esse ...

Krzysztof Penderecki Krzysztof Eugeniusz Penderecki (; 23 November 1933 – 29 March 2020) was a Polish composer and conductor. His best-known works include '' Threnody to the Victims of Hiroshima'', Symphony No. 3, his '' St Luke Passion'', '' Polish Requiem'', '' ...

Mstislav Rostropovich Mstislav Leopoldovich Rostropovich (27 March 192727 April 2007) was a Russian Cello, cellist and conducting, conductor. In addition to his interpretations and technique, he was well known for both inspiring and commissioning new works, which enl ...

Kurt Sanderling Kurt Sanderling, CBE (; 19 September 1912 – 18 September 2011) was a German conductor. Early life and career Sanderling was born in Arys, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire (now Orzysz, Poland) to Jewish parents. His early work at the Deuts ...

Wolfgang Sawallisch Wolfgang Sawallisch (26 August 1923 – 22 February 2013) was a German conductor and pianist. Biography Wolfgang Sawallisch was born in Munich, the son of Maria and Wilhelm Sawallisch. His father was director of the Hamburg-Bremer-Feuerversich ...

Lahav Shani Lahav Shani (; born 7 January 1989) is an Israeli conductor, pianist and double bassist. Biography Shani was born in Tel Aviv, the son of Michael Shani, a choral conductor. He began piano lessons at age 6 with Hannah Shalgi. He continued his p ...

Giuseppe Sinopoli Giuseppe Sinopoli (; 2 November 1946 – 20 April 2001) was an Italian conductor and composer. Biography Sinopoli was born in Venice, Italy, and later studied at the Benedetto Marcello Conservatory in Venice under Ernesto Rubin de Cerv ...

Sir Georg Solti Sir Georg Solti ( , ; born György Stern; 21 October 1912 – 5 September 1997) was a Hungarian-British orchestral and operatic conductor, known for his appearances with opera companies in Munich, Frankfurt, and London, and as a long-servi ...

Günter Wand Günter Wand (7 January 1912, in Elberfeld, Germany – 14 February 2002, in Ulmiz near Bern, Switzerland) was a German orchestra conductor and composer. Wand studied in Wuppertal, Allenstein and Detmold. At the Cologne Conservatory, he was a ...

David Zinman David Zinman (born July 9, 1936, in Brooklyn, New York) is a retired American conductor and violinist. Education After violin studies at Oberlin Conservatory, Zinman studied theory and composition at the University of Minnesota, earning his M.A. ...

From 1995 to 1999,

was Principal Guest Conductor of the Bamberg Symphony. Since 2005, the orchestra has enjoyed a close artistic collaboration with the British conductor

Robin Ticciati Robin Ticciati (born 16 April 1983, in London) is a British conductor of Italian ancestry. Biography Ticciati's paternal grandfather, Niso Ticciati, was a composer, arranger, cellist, and keyboardist. His father is a barrister, and his mother ...

. He held the position of Principal Guest Conductor from 2010 to 2013.

National and international concert activity

Concert tours from the beginnings until today

Since its beginnings, the Bamberg Symphony has been recognised as one of the most well-travelled orchestras from Germany. They were the first to accompany official state delegations abroad after the Second World War and were the first German orchestra to visit France at that time. With the exception of Australia, the orchestra has travelled to every continent in its history. Since its foundation, it has played more than 7,500 concerts in 64 countries and over 500 cities around the world. The „Bambergers“ have performed 1,200 concerts abroad alone. The Bamberg Symphony currently consists of musicians from around 25 nations (as of November 2023).

The COVID-19 years

It was not until the COVID-19 pandemic that the orchestra experienced its first serious travel break from 2020 to 2022. Numerous planned projects and trips had to be postponed or even cancelled. Replacement concerts took place via live streaming on television with medici.tv, on the radio and online. With their first purely digital premiere „Reflections of hope – A symphonic answer to the Corona pandemic“ by Eduard Resatsch, the Bamberg Symphony made a musical statement during the pandemic in May 2020. Playing music together was also influenced by the changing hygiene regulations and distancing rules, with the Bamberg Symphony following its own approach: an airflow measurement, in which external experts examined which airflows escape from the instruments when playing, contributed to the orchestra musicians being able to play CD recordings together at a distance of 1.05 metres from each other and, with the introduction of pandemic relaxations, being allowed to join the audience in the orchestra's concert halls again. The practical test with wind instruments conducted by the Bamberg Symphony in 2020 led the participating experts to determine that wind instruments do not contribute to air and therefore aerosol circulation in the orchestra body to the extent that was originally hypothesised. The Bamberg practical study became the impetus for other institutions, such as the US National Association for Music Education (NAfME), to undertake further studies in this field and contributed to the facilitation and normalisation of playing and performance practice.

Funding

In 2004, the Bamberg Symphony was appointed Bavarian State Philharmonic Orchestra by a new state law, which was approved by all parliamentary factions of the

Bavarian State Parliament The Landtag of Bavaria, officially known in English as the Bavarian State Parliament, is the unicameral legislature of the German state of Bavaria. The parliament meets in the Maximilianeum in Munich. Elections to the Landtag are held every ...

. The Foundation Bamberg Symphony – Bavarian State Philharmonic is funded by grants from the

, the City of

, the District of

Upper Franconia Upper Franconia (, ) is a (administrative 'Regierungs''region 'bezirk'' of the state of Bavaria, southern Germany. It forms part of the historically significant region of Franconia, the others being Middle Franconia and Lower Franconia, wh ...

and the District of Bamberg. The orchestra also receives support from the „Friends of the Bamberg Symphony“ (German: „Freunde der Bamberger Symphoniker e. V.“), the Bamberg Symphony Endowment Foundation as well as various patrons and sponsors.

Conducting Competition: The Mahler Competition

Since 2004, the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra has organised „The Mahler Competition“ at the Bamberg Concert Hall once every three years. The conducting competition, committed to the artistic credo and personality of its namesake Gustav Mahler, immediately established itself at the forefront of comparable competitions. The seventh edition took place in July 2023. The winners today include renowned conductors such as

, Shi-Yeon Sung, Ainārs Rubiķis,

Kahchun Wong Wong Kah Chun (; born 24 June 1986), also known as Kahchun Wong, is a Singaporean conductor. Biography Wong was born in 1986 to Victor Wong, a Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) warrant officer, and Yeo Huay Lan, a childcare teacher. His family lived ...

, Finnegan Downie Dear and, most recently in 2023, Giuseppe Mengoli.

World premieres

Friedrich Cerha Friedrich Cerha (; 17 February 1926 – 14 February 2023) was an Austrian composer, conductor, and academic teacher. His ensemble in Vienna was instrumental in spreading contemporary music in Austria. He composed several operas, beginning with ...

: ''Bagatelle'' (2016, conductor: Jonathan Nott) *

Chaya Czernowin Chaya Czernowin (, ; born December 7, 1957) is an Israeli American composer, and Walter Bigelow Rosen Professor of Music at Harvard University. She is the lead composer at the Schloß Solitude Sommerakademie, a biannual international academy of c ...

: ''Once I blinked nothing was the same / a large scale miniature'' (2015, conductor: Jonathan Nott) *

Gottfried von Einem Gottfried von Einem (24 January 1918 – 12 July 1996) was an Austrian composer. He is known chiefly for his operas influenced by the music of Stravinsky and Prokofiev, as well as by jazz. He also composed pieces for piano, violin and organ. Bio ...

: ''Nachtstück'' (op. 29, 1962, conductor:

) *

Georg Friedrich Haas Georg Friedrich Haas (born 16 August 1953) is an Austrian composer. In a 2017 ''Classic Voice'' poll of the greatest works of art music since 2000, pieces by Haas received the most votes (49), and his composition ''in vain'' (2000) topped the li ...

: ''Zugabe'' (2016, conductor: Kah Chun Wong) *

Toshio Hosokawa is a Japanese composer of contemporary classical music. He studied in Germany but returned to Japan, finding a personal style inspired by classical Japanese music and culture. He has composed operas, the oratorio '' Voiceless Voice in Hiroshima' ...

: ''Umarmung. Licht und Schatten'' (2016, conductor: Jakub Hrůša) *

: ''Mit Ausdruck'' (2003, conductor:

); ''Time stretch (on Gesualdo)'' (2006, conductor: Jonathan Nott) * Thomas Daniel Schlee: ''Bis'' (2017, conductor: Manfred Honeck) *

Mauricio Sotelo Mauricio Sotelo (born 2 October 1961 in Madrid) is a Spanish composer and conductor. Sotelo began his musical studies as a self-taught player of the guitar, and later at the Real Conservatorio de Música de Madrid. In 1979 he moved to Vienna to s ...

: ''Bruckner Nachklang'' (2014, conductor: Jonathan Nott) *

Erkki-Sven Tüür Erkki-Sven Tüür (; born 16 October 1959) is an Estonian composer. Life and career Tüür was born in Kärdla on the Estonian island of Hiiumaa. He studied flute and percussion at the Tallinn Music School from 1976 to 1980 and composition wi ...

: ''Tormiloits (Incantation of Tempest)'' (2015, conductor: Jakub Hrůša) *

: ''Juno'' and ''The Torino Scale'' (from: ''Asteroids'' for Orchestra) (2007, conductor: Jonathan Nott) *

: ''Lichtstudie I'' (2001, conductor:

Christoph Poppen Christoph Poppen (born 9 March 1956) is a German conductor, violinist and academic teacher. Career Poppen was born in Münster. As a violinist, he was awarded first prize in the Kocian Violin Competition age 14. He studied the violin with Kur ...

), ''Lied für Orchester'' (2003, conductor: Jonathan Nott), ''Das heiße Herz und Bamberger Marsch'' (2018, conductor: Jakub Hrůša) *Eduard Resatsch: ''Reflections of Hope'' (2020 – first digital world premiere by the Bamberg Symphony)

Discography (selection)

The Bamberg Symphony Orchestra and the Bayerische Rundfunk have maintained a close media partnership since 1950, resulting in more than 2,500 works recorded for radio and a discography that have built up over the decades. The orchestra also has a close relationship with

Deutsche Grammophon Deutsche Grammophon (; DGG) is a German classical music record label that was the precursor of the corporation PolyGram. Headquartered in Berlin Friedrichshain, it is now part of Universal Music Group (UMG) since its merger with the UMG family of ...

and

Accentus Music Accentus Music is a German classical music record label and production company founded in March 2010 in Leipzig, Germany, where the company is based. The label produces audio recordings ( CD) and video (DVD/Blu-ray). History Based in Leipzig, ...

, which has resulted in numerous releases, some of them award-winning. One major artistic project that the Bamberg Symphony produced under Jonathan Nott over a period of almost ten years is the recording of all of

's completed symphonies. Some of these recordings have been highly praised by the international press and received prestigious awards. In 2023, the Bamberg Symphony completed its highly acclaimed Brahms-Dvořák cycle with

. The following discography only includes a selection of the releases: * Johannes Brahms: Symphony No. 4, Antonín Dvořák: Symphony No. 9 „From the New World“. Brahms-Dvořák-Cycle with Jakub Hrůša: Vol. 1. 2 CD release, Tudor 1744 SACD Hybrid * Johannes Brahms: Symphony No. 3, Antonín Dvořák: Symphony No. 8. Brahms-Dvořák-Cycle with Jakub Hrůša: Vol. 2. 2 CD release, Tudor 1743 SACD Hybrid * Johannes Brahms: Symphony No. 2, Antonín Dvořák: Symphony Nr. 7. Brahms-Dvořák-Cycle with Jakub Hrůša: Vol. 3. Tudor 1742 SACD Hybrid * Johannes Brahms: Symphony Nr. 1 and 8 Hungarian Dances, Antonín Dvořák: Symphony No. 6. Brahms-Dvořák-Cycle with Jakub Hrůša: Vol. 4. Tudor 1741 SACD Hybrid * Anton Bruckner: Symphony No. 3 (Wagner Symphony, first version from 1873). Conductor: Jonathan Nott. Tudor CD 7133 SACD Hybrid * Anton Bruckner: Symphony No. 4 (Romantic, version from 1878/1880). Conductor: Horst Stein. CD Eurodisc/BMG Ariola 257 873 * Anton Bruckner: Symphony No. 4 (3 versions + alternative movements and fragments). Conductor: Jakub Hrůša. Accentus Music ACC30533 (4 CDs) * Anton Bruckner: Symphony No. 8 (version from 1890). Live recording from the NHK Hall Tokyo on 15 September 1982. Conductor: Eugen Jochum. CD Altus ALT 022/023 (2 CDs) and DVD Altus ALTDVD001 * Antonin Dvořák: Symphony No. 9. Conductor: Jakub Hrůša. Direct-to-Disc-Recording (limited edition, 1893 records), Accentus Music (3 LPs) * Karl Amadeus Hartmann: Symphony No. 1 (Versuch eines Requiems), Bohuslav Martinů: Mahnmal für Lidice, Luigi Nono: Canti di vita e' d'amore, Arnold Schönberg: Ein Überlebender aus Warschau. Conductor: Ingo Metzmacher. EMI 5 55424 2 * Karl Amadeus Hartmann: Adagio (Symphony No. 2) and Symphony concertante (Symphonie Nr. 5), Igor Strawinsky: Symphony in three movements. Conductor: Ingo Metzmacher. EMI 5 56184 2 * Karl Amadeus Hartmann: Symphony No. 3, Charles Ives: Robert Browning Overture. Conductor: Ingo Metzmacher. EMI 5 55254 2 * Karl Amadeus Hartmann: Symphony No. 4, Olivier Messiaen: Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum. Conductor: Ingo Metzmacher. EMI 7 54916 2 * Karl Amadeus Hartmann: Symphony No. 6, Anton Webern: Sechs Stücke für Orchester op. 6 (Fassung von 1928), Alban Berg: Drei Orchesterstücke op. 6. Conductor: Ingo Metzmacher. EMI 5 55612 2 * Karl Amadeus Hartmann: Symphonyn No. 7 und No. 8. Conductor: Ingo Metzmacher. EMI 5 56427 2 * Karl Amadeus Hartmann: Miserae und Gesangsszene, Luigi Dallapiccola: Canti di liberazione. Conductor: Ingo Metzmacher. EMI 56468 2 * Leoš Janáček: Sinfonietta, Taras Bulba and Suite from The Cunning Little Vixen. Conductor: Jonathan Nott. Tudor CD 7135 SACD Hybrid * Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 1 (Der Titan). Conductor: Jonathan Nott. Tudor CD 7147 SACD Hybrid * Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 2 (Resurrection Symphony). Conductor: Jonathan Nott, Soprano: Anne Schwanewilms, Alto: Lioba Braun, Chorus of the Bamberg Symphony. Tudor CD 7158 SACD Hybrid (2 CDs) * Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 3. Conductor: Jonathan Nott, Mezzo Soprano: Mihoko Fujimura. Tudor CD 7170 SACD Hybrid (2 CDs) * Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 4. Conductor: Jonathan Nott, Soprano: Mojca Erdmann. Tudor CD 7151 SACD Hybrid * Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 4. Conductor: Jakub Hrůša, Soprano: Anna Lucia Richter. Accentus Music ACC30532 * Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 5. Conductor: Jonathan Nott. Tudor CD 7126 SACD Hybrid * Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 6 (Tragic). Conductor: Jonathan Nott. Tudor CD 7191 SACD Hybrid * Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 7. Conductor: Jonathan Nott. Tudor CD 7176 SACD Hybrid * Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 8 (Symphony of the Thousand). Conductor: Jonathan Nott, Soloists: Janina Baechle, Lioba Braun, Michaela Kaune, Marisol Montalvo, Manuela Uhl, Albert Dohmen, Michael Nagy, Stefan Vinke, Chorus of the Bamberg Symphony, Czech Philharmonic Chorus, Windsbacher Boys Choir. Tudor CD 7192 SACD Hybrid * Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 9. Conductor: Jonathan Nott. Tudor CD 7162 SACD Hybrid (2 CDs) * Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 9. Conductor: Herbert Blomstedt. Accentus Music 9154444 (2 CDs) * Gustav Mahler: The 9 Symphonies. Conductor: Jonathan Nott. Tudor 1670 * Bohuslav Martinů. Complete Symphonies. Conductor: Neeme Järvi. Brilliant Classics (Edel) (3 CDs) * Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Piano Concertos Vol. 1–10. Conductor: Frank Beermann, Piano: Matthias Kirschnereit. ARTE NOVA CLASSICS 82876 82576 2 * Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Symphonies No. 33 und No. 36 (Linzer). Conductor: Eugen Jochum. Eurodisc 610 278-231 * Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Symphonies No. 39 und No. 40. Conductor: Eugen Jochum. Orfeo C 045 901 A * Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Symphony No. 41 (Jupiter) and Maurerische Trauermusik. Conductor: Eugen Jochum. Orfeo C 045 902 A * Joseph Joachim Raff: Symphonies No. 1–11, 4 Suites for orchestra, 4 Ouvertures: Benedetto Marcello, Dame Kobold, Die Parole, Concert Ouverture, Chaconne, Rhapsodie: Abends. Conductor: Hans Stadlmair. Tudor CD 1600 9 CD-Box * Max Reger: Eine Ballett-Suite op. 130; Variations and Fugue on a theme by Mozart op. 132 for orchestra. Conductor: Joseph Keilberth. Warner 0190295974824 * Max Reger: Orchestral Edition. Symphonic Choral Works. Orchestral Songs. Conductor: Horst Stein. Deutsche Grammophon 479 9983 (12 CDs) * Hans Rott: Symphonie No. 1, Gustav Mahler: Blumine, Anton Bruckner: Symphonic Prelude, Conductor: Jakub Hrůša. Deutsche Grammophon 143056 * Camille Saint-Saëns: Suite for Cello and Orchestra op. 16, Romance op. 36; Antonín Dvořák: Concerto for Cello and orchestra B minor op. 104. Conductor: Sebastian Tewinkel, Cello: Maximilian Hornung. Sony 88697749252 * Franz Schubert: Symphonies No. 1–8, Dialog, Epilog. Conductor: Jonathan Nott. Tudor CD 1610 SACD, 6 CD-Box Limited Edition * Franz Schubert: The 8 Symphonies. Conductor: Jonathan Nott. Tudor CD 1660 SACD Hybrid 4 CD-Box * Robert Schumann: Symphonies Nr. 1–4. Conductor: Christoph Eschenbach. Virgin Classics 7243 5 61884 2 6 * Bedřich Smetana: Die verkaufte Braut. Conductor: Rudolf Kempe. With Fritz Wunderlich u. a. EMI 3818722 * Bedřich Smetana: Má Vlast. Conductor: Jakub Hrůša. Tudor CD 7196 SACD Hybrid * Bedřich Smetana: Má Vlast, Conductor: Jakub Hrůša, Direct-To-Disc Recording, Limited Edition, Accentus Music * Hans Sommer: Sapphos Gesänge op. 6, Orchestra songs (Dahn/Goethe). Conductor: Sebastian Weigle, Mezzo Soprano: Elisabeth Kulman, Baritone: Bo Skovhus, Tudor CD 7178 SACD Hybrid. * Richard Strauss: Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche, Waltz Sequences from Der Rosenkavalier, Don Juan. Conductor: Eugen Jochum. BMG 74321 21287 2 * Igor Strawinsky: Le sacre du Printemps, Symphony in three movements. Conductor: Jonathan Nott. Tudor CD 7145 SACD Hybrid * Charles-Marie Widor: Symphony No. 3 op. 69 for Organ and Orchestra, Symphonie VII for Orgel solo op. 42 Nr. 3. Conductor: Stefan Solyom, Orgel: Christian Schmitt. cpo 777 678-2 * Bohemia lies within ourselves. Why the sound of the Bamberg Symphony touches people. An audio book with the voices of Nora Gomringer, Jens Harzer and Meike Rötzer. Accentus Music ACC30534 (4 CDs)

Recent awards

* 2013:

ECHO Klassik The Echo Klassik, often stylized as ECHO Klassik, was Germany's major classical music award in 22 categories. The award, presented by the , was held annually, usually in October or September, separate from its parent award, the Echo Music Prize ...

in the category Concert Recording of the Year (Music of the 19. century) for the recording of the ''Widor Organ Symphonies'' opp. 42,3 and 69. * 2014: Up-and-comer of the year, Cicero * 2018: Best concert programme 2017/18, Deutscher Musikverleger-Verband * 2019: Audience of the year, concerti * 2020: Bavarian State Prize for Music and Professional Music-Making * 2020: Year Award of the Deutsche Schallplattenkritik for Gustav Mahler: ''Symphony No. 9.'' Conductor: Herbert Blomstedt (Accentus Music). * 2022: International Classical Music Award (ICMA) in the category Symphonic Music for ''Bruckner 4 – The 3 Versions.'' Conductor: Jakub Hrůša (Accentus Music). * 2023: International Classical Music Award (ICMA) in the category Symphonic Music for Hans Rott: ''Symphony No. 1'', Mahler: ''Blumine'', Bruckner: ''Symphonic Prelude''. Conductor: Jakub Hrůša (Deutsche Grammophon).

Positioning and reception

The Bamberg Symphony is the only orchestra with a worldwide standing that is not based in a major city and has earned a reputation as a touring orchestra thanks to its constant travelling. The orchestra has cemented its reputation since 1946 with its characteristically dark, round and radiant sound. With about 7,500 concerts in more than 500 cities and 64 countries around the world (as of 06/2024), the Bamberg Symphony acts as „Bavaria's cultural ambassador“ throughout the world. „Resonating worldwide“ is also the orchestra's slogan. In 2004, they were awarded the title of state orchestra. In January 2009, the German Focus magazine listed the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra in 6th place among the ten leading symphony orchestras in Germany. In January 2014, Cicero magazine named the symphony orchestra one of the „Rising Stars of the Year“. In 2018, the orchestra was awarded the prize for the „Best Concert Programme“ of the 2017/2018 season by the German Music Publishers Association (DMV). In 2023, the orchestra won the International Classical Music Awards in the category of Symphonic Music. The orchestra is regarded as one of the best Mahler orchestras in the world and a world-class orchestra.''Bamberger Symphoniker.'' In: ''Bamberg.info.'' Stadt Bamberg, 2024. Retrieved 23 January 2024.

Literature

* Klaus Karger: ''Im Himmel wird nicht geknarzt, Köstlichkeiten aus dem Leben der Bamberger Symphoniker.'' Genniges Verlag, Roth 2013, ISBN 978-3-924983-47-5. * Thomas Keilberth: ''Joseph Keilberth. Ein Conductorenleben im XX. Jahrhundert.'' Apollon-Musikoffizin Austria, Vienna 2007. * Zdenek Nemec: ''Weberova prazská léta. Z kroniky prazké opery.'' Praha: Mazác, 1944. * Holger Noltze (Hg.), Andreas Herzau, Jiatong Wu: ''Bamberg Diary #1 - #3. Nimbus.'' Kunst und Bücher AG Verlag, Wädenswil am Zürichsee, 2020, 2021, 2023. * Wolfgang Pfister: ''Die Bamberger Symphoniker. 50 Jahre Orchesterkultur in Bamberg.'' Verlag Fränkischer Tag, Bamberg 1996. * Ulrich Ruhnke: ''Im diplomatischen Dienst. Die Bamberger Symphoniker auf Erfolgskurs.'' In: Das Orchester 4, April 2008, S. 30–34. * Christian Schmölder, Peter Gartiser, Susanne Krabusch: ''Bamberger Symphoniker. Chronik eines Orchesters 1946–1993.'' Verlag Fränkischer Tag, Bamberg 1993. * Pamela Tancsik: ''Die Prager Oper heißt Zemlinsky. Theatergeschichte des Neuen Deutschen Theaters Prag in der Ära Zemlinsky 1911–1927.'' Böhlau Verlag, Wien 2000. * ''Festschrift Bamberger Symphoniker 1946–1996.'' Published by the Bamberger Symphoniker. Bamberg 1996. * ''Horst Stein zum 80. Geburtstag. Special publication of the Bamberg Symphony – Bavarian State Philharmonic.'' Bamberg 2008.

References

External links

* *
Bamberger Symphoniker
at the Bach Cantatas Website
CD/SACD Releases with the Bamberger Symphoniker by Tudor Recording Zurich
{{Authority control German symphony orchestras Musical groups established in 1946 1946 establishments in Germany Orchestras in Bavaria Bamberg