Bamberg Symphony are Gramophone's "Orchestra of the Year 2026"!
Accentus Music warmly congratulates the Bamberg Symphony on being named Gramophone's Orchestra of the Year 2026!
The award recognizes an orchestra with a distinctive artistic profile and a remarkable recording history. Gramophone highlighted the Bamberg Symphony’s recent work with Chief Conductor Jakub Hrůša, including its acclaimed Martinů cycle, praising the orchestra’s consistently luminous and assured playing.
For Accentus Music, the award is also an opportunity to celebrate our long-standing partnership with the Bamberg Symphony and the many exceptional recordings we have made together. Over the years, this collaboration has brought together the orchestra and artists including Jakub Hrůša, Christoph Eschenbach, and Herbert Blomtsedt for productions ranging from the symphonies of Anton Bruckner to programs exploring the musical idea of the hero in works by Richard Strauss, Antonín Dvořák and Alexander Glazunov.
Our collaboration has also extended to particularly ambitious recording projects, including the direct-to-disc productions of Smetana's Má Vlast and Dvořák’s New World Symphony on vinyl. Each of these projects reflects the orchestra’s distinctive sound and the care that goes into translating its musical character into recordings.
The Gramophone award is a fitting recognition of the Bamberg Symphony’s artistic achievements and its continuing presence on the international recording scene. We are delighted to see the Bamberg Symphony honored in this way and proud of the artistic collaboration that has brought us together over the years.
Congratulations to the musicians, to Chief Conductor Jakub Hrůša, and to everyone at the Bamberg Symphony on this well-deserved distinction!
Read Martin Cullingford's, editor-in-chief of Gramophone Magazine, article about the orchestra award here!