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Conductor Rattle receives Bavarian Maximilian Order

Sir Simon Rattle has been awarded the Bavarian Maximilian Order for Science and Art. The conductor is one of the most important artists of our time, said Minister-President Markus Söder (CSU) at the award ceremony on Thursday. "He has shaped the music scene for decades through excellence and the promotion of young talent, and with his boundless energy, he is both a pacesetter and an interpreter."

Simon Rattle and Markus Söder

Rattle has been chief conductor of the Bavarian Radio Chorus and Symphony Orchestra since 2023. Previously, the British-born conductor held the same position with the Berlin Philharmonic and the London Symphony Orchestra. Söder explained that the 71-year-old uniquely combines musical tradition with innovation: "He has thus raised the Bavarian Radio Chorus and Symphony Orchestra to a whole new level."

The award to Rattle is also a statement for art and culture in Bavaria, the Minister-President emphasized: "We are investing heavily – for example, with a new concert hall for Munich. The final plans will be presented this summer." Culture is an integral part of democracy and creates space for creativity and innovation.

The director of Bavarian Broadcasting, Katja Wildermuth, congratulated Rattle on the honor: "It shows how deeply Sir Simon Rattle has arrived in the heart of Bavaria, not even three years after taking office, and what a high esteem he enjoys – deservedly so – as one of the world's best conductors in his adopted artistic home." In Rattle's case, the Maximilian Order is not only an award for excellence, but also for empathy and community spirit. "The participatory projects he initiated, such as the 'Symphonic Hoagascht' or 'Singing with Sir Simon,' exemplify what we at Bavarian Broadcasting strive to be: a place of cultural cohesion, diversity, and participation," Wildermuth explained.

The Order of Maximilian was established in 1980 by the Bavarian State Government, continuing the tradition of the order originally founded by King Maximilian II in 1853. The award is presented every two years and represents a particularly high state honor. Rattle accepted the order this year for 2025.

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