Andrew Jowett, the man at the helm of and , is stepping down after a marathon 28 years.
Mr Jowett, who received an OBE in the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee honours list in 2012 for an outstanding lifelong contribution to music, will retire as Chief Executive of Performances Birmingham Ltd in April 2016.
He said: “It has been an enormous privilege to have been part of the team which created Symphony Hall – the greatest concert hall to be built in the 20th century – and then to re-open and manage Birmingham’s historic Town Hall following its £35 million renovation in 2007.
“Symphony Hall is the symbol of Birmingham’s regeneration, a centre of excellence which mirrors the vision and commitment of the City’s leaders for over 250 years.
“Town Hall and Symphony Hall Birmingham are venues synonymous with high quality world class concert artists, bringing the best in the world of music to Birmingham.
“In particular, the establishment of the Birmingham International Concert Season has been particularly satisfying, creating the largest programme of classical music outside of London and connecting over half a million people to music each year.”
, added: “Andrew Jowett has enabled both Symphony Hall and Town Hall Birmingham to grow and sustain and we are deeply indebted to his contribution to the development of Birmingham as one of the 海角视频’s significant destinations for fans of classical and popular music and underpin Birmingham’s reputation as an international centre of cultural excellence.
“Andrew’s decision to retire is one that we have been planning for and we will now begin the process of finding his successor.”
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Mr Jowett was appointed Director of Symphony Hall in 1988 – three years before it opened in 1991 to widespread public and critical acclaim – and also manages Town Hall, having overseen its successful re-opening in 2007.
In 2011 Mr Jowett was awarded ’s Gold medal for services to the arts in Birmingham, and received his OBE from the Queen in 2012.
“I am immensely proud to have played a part in shaping the arts in Birmingham, bringing a wealth of great international artists to Symphony Hall and Town Hall, and also furthering the work of the organisation in the city through its extensive education and community engagement programmes.
“Throughout my 27 years at Symphony Hall and Town Hall I have been privileged to have been supported by a committed and knowledgeable Board of trustees, an enthusiastic and professional team of colleagues throughout PBL, generous friends and donors and over 10 million individual audience members.
“I have no doubt whatsoever that the successes of the last 25 years will be mirrored in the next 25, and that Symphony Hall and Town Hall will continue to be pre-eminent in the cultural life of Birmingham and the 海角视频.”