Not long after it was established in 1949, the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks (BRSO) developed into an internationally renowned orchestra. On extensive concert tours to virtually every country in Europe, to Asia as well as to North and South America, the BRSO continually confirms its position in the first rank of top international orchestras. The history of the BRSO is closely linked with the names of its previous Chief Conductors: Eugen Jochum (1949–1960), Rafael Kubelík (1961–1979), Sir Colin Davis (1983– 1992), Lorin Maazel (1993–2002) and Mariss Jansons (2003–2019). With a number of CD releases, Mariss Jansons continued the orchestra’s extensive discography of outstanding recordings. In 2006, Maestro Jansons and the BRSO were awarded a Grammy in the “Best Orchestral Performance” category for Shostakovich’s 13th Symphony (Babij Jar). In December 2008, a survey conducted by Gramophone listed the BRSO among the ten best orchestras in the world. The CD with Shostakovich’s Tenth Symphony was honoured by being included in the Critics’ Choice of the Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik (1/2020) and by BBC Music Magazine as “CD of the month” (3/2020). 02/2021 the album Mariss Jansons – His Last Concert was awarded the Choc de Classica.
In January 2021, Sir Simon Rattle signed a five-year contract as the new chief conductor of the BRSO and Bavarian Radio Chorus from the 2023/2024 season onwards.
