The piece was the climax of Sir Simon Rattle's first concert as artistic director of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra in September.

ECONOMIST: Classical music on CD

Auditions take place in front of orchestra general manager Keith Lau and AYO founder and artistic director, Richard Pontzious, who has a reputation of being as impatient as you-know-who.

FORBES: Idol's Asian Disciples

Presently Principal Conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra and The World Orchestra of Peace, Valery Gergiev is also founder and Artistic Director of the Stars of the White Nights Festival and New Horizons Festival in St.

UNESCO: Valery Gergiev

In 1982, he became artistic director of the Bavarian State Opera and in 1993 he took the helm of the Philadelphia Orchestra, aged 70.

BBC: Conductor Wolfgang Sawallisch dies at 89