He was extraordinary throughout. Preferring to not use a score, he elicited from his players — and especially those gleaming strings and magnificent brass and wind players — utter magic: flexibility, technical refinement, beauty, mirth, love for what they were doing.─Financial Times

The Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks (The Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, BRSO), established in 1949 and affiliated with Bavarian Radio, has been led by renowned conductors including Eugen Jochum, Rafael Kubelík, Colin Davis, Lorin Maazel, and Mariss Jansons. Over 75 years, through collaborative efforts with its members, the BRSO has risen to the forefront of the world’s symphonic orchestras. In 2016 and 2018, the orchestra performed twice at the National Taichung Theater, gaining immense popularity among music enthusiasts. During Mariss Jansons’ tenure, the BRSO was recognized by Gramophone magazine as one of the top ten orchestras worldwide, alongside the Berlin Philharmonic which best representing the sound of Germany.

With its extraordinarily wide-ranging repertoire of Romantic and Modernist works, the BRSO has toured extensively across Europe, Asia, and the Americas, earning admiration from music enthusiasts for its clear and sensual sound. The BRSO has released recordings under labels including DG, RCA, and EMI, receiving accolades such as a Grammy Award in 2006. In recent years, it has launched its own label, BR-Klassik, featuring complete collections of works by Mahler and Wagner. Starting  the 2023/24 season, Sir Simon Rattle, the former chief conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic and the London Symphony Orchestra, has assumed the role as the BRSO’s principal conductor.

 The BRSO will present “The Complete Brahms,” showcasing the orchestra’s traditional German sound through its grand scope and elegant intricacy. The renowned South Korean pianist Seong-Jin CHO, celebrated as a “poet of the piano,” is the soloist for Brahms’ No. 2 Piano Concerto which was composed during Brahms’ prime years and is renowned as one of the world’s most challenging piano concertos. Spanning 50 minutes, this concerto impresses with its expansive scope and profound musicality, testing the performer’s endurance and technical prowess. Also on the program is Brahms’ Symphony No. 2 in D Major, also known as the “Pastoral Symphony.” It features melodies that exude comfort, leisure, and serene contentment, with a warm musical style.

Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 83, B-flat major

Brahms: Symphony No. 2, Op. 73, D major

Conductor / Sir Simon Rattle

Sir Simon Rattle, born in Liverpool, is one of the most renowned conductors of our time. Influenced by his music-loving father, he was immersed in a musical environment from a young age and quickly showed his musical talent. At the age of 25, he became the principal conductor of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, a position he held for 18 years. In 2002, Rattle succeeded Claudio Abbado as the artistic director of the Berlin Philharmonic. In 2017, he returned to the UK to take up the role of principal conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra. In 2023, he became the principal conductor of the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks.

Pianist / Seong-Jin CHO

Born in Seoul, South Korea, Seong-Jin CHO became the youngest winner in the history of the Hamamatsu International Piano Competition at the age of 15 in 2009. He won third prize at the International Tchaikovsky Competition in 2011 and claimed first prize and the Best Polonaise Prize at the International Chopin Competition in Warsaw in 2015. Since then, he has risen to global fame and frequently received invitations to perform with prestigious orchestras such as the Berlin Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic, and Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks （BRSO)

Founded in 1949 in Munich, Germany, and affiliated with Bavarian Radio, the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen (Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, BRSO) is considered the sound of Germany alongside the Berlin Philharmonic. Under the leadership of its first conductor, Eugen Jochum, it developed into an internationally renowned orchestra, expanding and consolidating its reputation through intensive touring. The orchestra’s repertoire is extensive, ranging from the works of Haydn, the father of the symphony, to experimental new works from one of the world’s most important contemporary music forums, musica viva.

The orchestra has long-term collaborations with prominent conductors such as Rafael Kubelík, Colin Davis, Lorin Maazel, and Mariss Jansons, each for periods ranging from 9 to 16 years, elevating it to the ranks of the world’s top symphony orchestras. It has also been repeatedly selected as one of the world’s top ten symphony orchestras. Starting from the 2023/24 season, Sir Simon Rattle, the former chief conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic and widely regarded as one of the most influential contemporary conductors, has taken over as the BRSO’s sixth principal conductor in its 75-year history.

The BRSO has toured extensively across Europe, Asia, and the Americas. It has released recordings under commercial labels such as DG, RCA, and EMI, winning numerous international awards. In 2006, it won a Grammy Award for Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 13. In recent years, the orchestra has released recordings under its own label, BR-Klassik, including complete collections of works by Mahler and Wagner. The recording of Mahler’s Symphony No. 9, conducted by Sir Simon Rattle, won the prestigious French Diapason d'Or award in 2023.