Marin Alsop has extended her contract as music director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra for a further six years from September 2015 to August 2021. The conductor, who also heads the São Paulo State Symphony Orchestra, began her tenure as the BSO’s 12th music director in September 2007 and has since extended her contract twice. Throughout the new 6-year period, Alsop will conduct approximately half of the orchestra’s classical subscription programmes.

‘I am deeply grateful and excited for the opportunity to lead the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra for several more years,’ said Alsop. ‘This orchestra’s artistic calibre coupled with their passion for music makes it my privilege to assume the podium each week. With the support of the BSO board and tireless staff, the orchestra and I have many accomplishments of which I am quite proud. But I am certainly not finished! I have more ideas to benefit this orchestra and community and the BSO is my perfect partner towards realising these goals.’

During her tenure, Alsop has led the orchestra on a number of occasions at Carnegie Hall; overseen the development of ‘OrchKids’, the El Sistema-inspired music programme for youth in Baltimore; and recorded a number of albums, including a three-disk Dvořák symphony cycle, and works by Bernstein, Bartók and Mahler for Naxos.