But Gergiev, currently also chief conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra, asked doubters to reserve judgement.

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It was during the following decade that he was the chief conductor of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra.

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Finnish conductor Sakari Orama will lead the opening night with this first concert as chief conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

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By the 1960s he was appearing widely as a conductor, going on to become chief conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra and New York Philharmonic Orchestra.

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Britain's Sir Simon Rattle, reckoned ideal by many insiders, rules himself out not least because he will be taking over as chief conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic in 2002.

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At different times he was music director or chief conductor at three of Britain's leading music institutions: the London Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden and the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

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The currency of this trust is listening, and one of the most interesting pictures to emerge from the book is that of the conductor as a kind of chief listener.

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To Chief Thomas Hager and to the commander and conductor.

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