After months of speculation, it has been announced that Sir Simon Rattle has been appointed the new music director of the London Symphony Orchestra starting in 2017.

There has been talks of Rattle returning the U.K. after his tenure with the Berliner Philharmoniker ends. He will be replacing Valery Gergiev, who will be leaving to join the Munich Philharmonic.

“During my work with the LSO over the last years, I noticed that despite the orchestra’s long and illustrious history, they almost never refer to it. Instead, refreshingly, they talk about the future, what can they make anew, what can they improve, how can they reach further into the community,” said Rattle in a press release. “I cannot imagine a better or more inspiring way to spend my next years, and feel immensely fortunate to have the LSO as my musical family and co-conspirators.”

Rattle has always had a clear outline for his vision as a music director. He aims for universal access to music, especially for children and young people. He believes all musicians should be engaged in composing, improvising, mentoring and performing and hopes his new position will help to generate partnerships between London and the country, solidifying the U.K. as a world leader in the arts.

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