What is Simon Rattle?
[[File:Rattle_BPH-Rittershaus1-Wikipedia.jpg|290px|thumb|Rattle conducts the Berlin Philharmonic.]] [[Knight Bachelor|Sir]] '''Simon Denis Rattle''' CBE, (born [[Liverpool]], 19 January 1955) is an [[England|English]] [[Conducting|conductor]]. He became internationally famous as the conductor of the [[City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra]] which he made into a world-class orchestra. Since 1999, he has been the conductor of the [[Berlin Philharmonic]]. == Life == === Early years === Rattle was born in a hospital in Liverpool and studied at Liverpool College. He learned to play the [[piano]] and the [[violin]]. He started to play in [[orchestra]]s, but as a [[Percussion instrument|percussionist]]. He went to study at the [[Royal Academy of Music]] in [[London]] in 1971. Three years later he won the John Player Conductor Competition. He organised and conducted a performance of [[Mahler]]'s Second Symphony whilst still at the Academy. He spent a year studying [[English Language]] and [[English literature|literature]] at St Anne's College, [[Oxford]]. === Career in the UK === In 1974, he was made [[assistant]] conductor of the [[Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra]], and in 1977 assistant conductor of the [[Royal Liverpool Philharmonic]]. He spent 18 years as conductor of the [[City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra]] (CBSO), from 1980 to 1998. During this time he made the orchestra into one of the best European orchestras. The orchestra used to give their concerts at the Town Hall in Birmingham, but a new concert hall, the [[Symphony Hall]], was opened in 1991. The BBC made a film about Rattle and the CBSO during his last year with the orchestra. It was called: ''Simon Rattle — Moving On''. Rattle was given the award of [[CBE]] in 1987 and made a [[Knight Bachelor]] in 1994. In 1992, Rattle was made Principal Guest Conductor of the [[Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment]] (OAE), together with [[Frans Brüggen]]. Rattle now has the title of Principal Artist with the OAE. In 2001, Rattle conducted the OAE