One of the world's most successful and most decorated classical music
conductors, Sir Simon Rattle has performed with most of the top orchestras in
the most prestigious concert halls all over Europe, America and other parts of
the world. Born in Liverpool on January 19, 1955, he initially studied piano and
violin and then concentrated on playing percussion with the Merseyside Youth
Orchestra. He was still in his teens when he first turned to conducting,
founding the Liverpool Sinfonia and going on to study at the Royal Academy of
Music in London. A prodigious student, his graduat...