Sir Colin has been the Principal Conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra since 1995 and is also Honorary Conductor of the Dresden Staatskapelle.

Last season began with a Proms Concert with Sir Colin conducting an orchestra of students from the Juilliard School of Music (New York) and the Royal Academy of Music.  He then performed Sibelius’ Kullervo Symphony and Walton’s First Symphony with the LSO in London and New York.  Sir Colin also worked with the NYP, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Czech Philharmonic, Concertgebouw, Dresden Staatskapelle and Orchestre National de France.  He gave performances of Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius, Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis, Mass in C and Fideliu with the LSO.  Sir Colin recently conducted Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro at Covent Garden and then Magic Flute with the LSO in Spain.

This season Sir Colin will be conducting Berlioz Romeo & Juliet with the Orchestre National de France in Paris and then Berlioz L’enfance du Christ and Handel’s Messiah with the LSO in December.  In the new year he is appearing with Boston Symphony Orchestra and New York Philharmonic before returning to London for Berlioz Benvenuto Cellini in June with the LSO and Mozart Cosi fan Tutte at Covent Garden in July.

Sir Colin Davis has recorded widely with Phillips, BMG and Erato.  Falstaff with the LSO won the Best Opera Grammy in 2005.  LSO Live have recently released Sir Colin’s recordings of Smetana Ma Vlast, Sibelius Kullervo Symphony, Walton’s First Symphony and Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius.  Beethoven’s Fidelio and Missa Solemnis will be released early in 2007.

Sir Colin has been awarded international honours by Italy, France, Germany and Finland.  He was named a Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2001.  Sir Colin has received Brit Awards and was given the Yehudi Menuhin Prize for working with young people by the Queen of Spain in Madrid in 2003.

During his career Sir Colin conducted the BBC Scottish Orchestra, moved on to Sadler’s Wells Opera House in 1959 and spent four years as Chief Conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra from 1967 to 1971.  He became Music Director of the Royal Opera House Covent Garden in 1971 and also Principal Guest Conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1972.  Sir Colin spent the years 1983 – 1992 with eh Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, was Principal Guest Conductor of the New York Philharmonic from 1998 – 2003 and has been Honorary Conductor of the Dresden Staatskapelle since 1990.

Sir Colin Davis was born in Weybridge, Surrey in 1927.