Kirill Karabits to step down as Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra chief conductor

Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (BSO) has today announced that Kirill Karabits will conclude his tenure as chief conductor in summer 2024. After 15 years in the role, Karabits will take up the role of conductor laureate, allowing him to return to conduct the orchestra in future years.

The BSO’s second longest-serving chief conductor after founder Sir Dan Godfrey, the Ukrainian conductor will continue as artistic director of the orchestra’s ongoing Voices from the East series of performances and recordings which highlight music from eastern Europe.

BSO chief executive Dougie Scarfe said: ‘Kirill is an outstanding conductor and musician, he is also a wonderful human and a musical detective unlike any other. His creative influence over the past fifteen years has defined the modern BSO — his understanding not just the music, but of that magical relationship between music, musicians and audience has created numerous life-affirming experiences for our musical community over the years.’

Under Karabits’ leadership the BSO has embraced a broad range of repertoire, giving UK premieres of works including Penderecki’s Fourth Symphony and CPE Bach’s St John Passion, as well as of commissions from composers including Franghiz Ali-Zadeh, Anna Korsun, Mark-Anthony Turnage and Sir James MacMillan. 

In Karabits’ final season the BSO returns to its residency at the Bristol Beacon. The season will feature collaborations with artists including James Ehnes and Nicola Benedetti, and premiere recordings of works by Ivan Karabits, Valentin Silvestrov and Rodion Shchedrin.

Karabits said: ‘I have never forgotten my first encounter with the BSO. I immediately felt this was a very special group of musicians, and, artistically, we have continued to grow together over the last fifteen years. It feels like a home from home — and never more so than during these last few years, where this community of musicians and audience has been of great support.’