Andrea Zietzschmann to allow her contract to expire in 2028
Andrea Zietzschmann, general manager of the Berliner Philharmoniker Foundation, will not be renewing her contract – which is due to expire in August 2028 – for a third term. She took up her post in September 2017.
Stefan Evers, Senator for Culture and Social Cohesion:
“Since taking up her post in 2017, Andrea Zietzschmann has demonstrated exceptional strategic expertise in heading up the Berliner Philharmoniker Foundation. She has significantly expanded the institution’s international network and, with great passion and energy, opened up the Philharmonie Berlin to new audiences.
Together with chief conductor Kirill Petrenko, she has maintained the artistic excellence of one of the world’s leading orchestras and has made a significant contribution to the international reputation of the Berliner Philharmoniker. Her decision not to renew the contract has been acknowledged, but with great sadness.
With her departure in 2028, the Berliner Philharmoniker Foundation will lose an outstanding cultural manager whose vision, integrity and tireless commitment have raised the institution’s profile far beyond the city’s borders. Berlin owes her a debt of immense gratitude.”
The Berliner Philharmoniker’s orchestra board representatives, Eva-Maria Tomasi and Walter Küssner:
“We greatly appreciate our dedicated and forward-looking work together with Andrea Zietzschmann and look forward to the years ahead with her. We would like to take this opportunity to thank her very much for the work she has done so far. She has guided the foundation through successful and challenging times with a clear vision. At the same time, we are very grateful to her for informing us at an early stage of her decision not to extend her contract beyond 2028. This gives us the opportunity to work with the Berlin Senate’s cultural officials to ensure that her successor is chosen with the necessary foresight and care.”
Kirill Petrenko, chief conductor of the Berliner Philharmoniker:
“Andrea Zietzschmann took up her post two years before I did and has been my general manager for the entire time I have been with the Berliner Philharmoniker. From the very beginning, she has worked tirelessly to remove any obstacles in my path so that I could concentrate on the actual job, and with energy, perseverance and unwavering loyalty, she paved the way that has made our shared successes of recent years possible in the first place. I am thinking in particular of the difficult period very soon after I took up my post, when the pandemic made it impossible to hold normal performances. During that period, she steered the orchestra and the Philharmonie through challenging times with a steady hand, just as she has consistently responded with great aplomb to the frequently and rapidly changing political circumstances of recent years. For all of this, I owe her my deepest gratitude and wish her all the very best for the future.”
Andrea Zietzschmann, general manager of the Berliner Philharmoniker Foundation:
“The past few years with the Berliner Philharmoniker and Kirill Petrenko have been an unforgettable experience. The orchestra’s outstanding quality and energy have left their mark on my work and inspired me; there are many wonderful, moving concerts that will remain forever in my memory. Working alongside the dedicated bodies and teams at the Philharmonie, we have been able to set the course for many important developments; I believe the orchestra and the Philharmonie are well positioned for the future.
In 2028, after eleven years in office, it will be time for me to embark on a new path. Furthermore, the comprehensive refurbishment of the Philharmonie scheduled for 2032 will require a general manager who is thoroughly familiar with the project and can see this ambitious undertaking through to completion in the long term. The timing I have chosen for this change is intended to facilitate this. Until then, I will continue to devote all my energies to this wonderful orchestra and this institution, which is unique in the world of culture. I am very much looking forward to that.”