In 2016, Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla was appointed Music Director of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, succeeding conductors such as Sir Simon Rattle, Sakari Oramo and Andris Nelsons. The CBSO has since given numerous acclaimed performances under her direction, including guest appearances and tours worldwide. She received the Royal Philharmonic Society's Conductor Award in 2019 for her special work with the CBSO, on which the Jury commented: “[She brings] her own vision [while] shaping a respectful, mutually fruitful partnership with the players…; plunging bravely and energetically into a vast and distinctive repertory; and captivating the city’s imagination beyond the concert hall.” She stepped down as music director at the end of the 21/22 season, but leads the orchestra as principal guest conductor in 22/23, including U.S. and European tours. Current highlights -in addition to her appearances with the CSBO- include Britten's War Requiem at the Salzburg Festival and her return to opera with a new production of Janáček's The Cunning Little Vixen at the Bavarian State Opera in Munich. This season, Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla's guest appearances include Munich Philharmonic, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Accademia di Santa Cecilia, and Concertgebouw Orchestra. A native of Vilnius, Lithuania, Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla was born into a musical family. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in choral and orchestral conducting from the University of Music and Fine Arts, Graz, Austria. Afterwards she continued to study at the Music Conservatory in Bologna, the Music Conservatory in Leipzig and the Music Conservatory in Zurich. From 2011-14 she worked as Kapellmeister at the Theater and Orchester Heidelberg and at the Konzert Theater Bern, before being appointed Music Director of the Salzburger Landestheater (2015- 17). Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla's debut CD was released by Deutsche Grammophon in spring 2019. It delighted critics and listeners worldwide, was hailed as a significant contribution to the rediscovery of Mieczysław Weinberg's œuvre, and won both the Opus Klassik and Grammophon Awards in 2020. The recordings were made with the participation of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the Kremerata Baltica and Gidon Kremer. This was followed by a portrait album of the Lithuanian composer Raminta Šerkšnytė for DG and "The British Project" with works by Britten, Elgar, Walton and Vaughan Williams. On the latest release, the young conductor again turns her attention to the works of Weinberg.
As of January 2023
