Bamberg Symphony facts for kids
The Bamberg Symphony is a famous orchestra from Germany, based in the city of Bamberg. It's also known as the Bayerische Staatsphilharmonie, which means Bavarian State Philharmonic. This special title was given to them in 1993. The orchestra was formed in 1946, right after World War II. Many of its first musicians were from Czechoslovakia and had played in another orchestra there before the war.
A Home for Music
Since 1993, the Bamberg Symphony has performed in a beautiful building called the Konzert- und Kongresshalle. People sometimes call it Sinfonie an der Regnitz, which means "Symphony on the Regnitz," because it's located near the Regnitz River. Before this, they used to play their concerts at a place called the Dominikanerbau.
The orchestra gets help and money from different groups to keep playing their amazing music. The Free State of Bavaria (a region in Germany), the city of Bamberg, and other local districts all support them. In 2003, the government of Bavaria even helped the orchestra pay off its financial debts.
Meet the Conductors
A conductor is like the leader of an orchestra. They guide the musicians during a performance. The first main conductor of the Bamberg Symphony was Joseph Keilberth. Over the years, many other talented conductors have led the orchestra, including James Loughran and Horst Stein.
In September 2016, Jakub Hrůša became the fifth Chief Conductor of the Bamberg Symphony. He's still leading them today! The orchestra also has special "honorary conductors" who are recognized for their important contributions. These include Herbert Blomstedt and Christoph Eschenbach.
Music and Awards
The Bamberg Symphony is involved with a special award called the Gustav Mahler Conducting Prize. This prize is given out every three years to a talented young conductor. The first winner in 2004 was Gustavo Dudamel, who is now a very famous conductor around the world.
The orchestra has also made many recordings of their music. This means they've recorded their performances so people can listen to them later. They've worked with different record companies and conductors to share their beautiful sound with a wider audience.
Principal conductors
- Joseph Keilberth (1949–1968)
- James Loughran (1979–1983)
- Witold Rowicki (1983–1985)
- Horst Stein (1985–1996)
- Jonathan Nott (2000–2016)
- Jakub Hrůša (2016–present)
