Who We Are Founding Patron Sir Simon Rattle Founding Patron Sir Simon Rattle is BCMG's Founding Patron, having played a crucial role in supporting the Group in its infancy in his role of Principal Conductor and Artistic Adviser of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Simon was Principal Conductor and Artistic Adviser, and later Music Director, of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra 1980-1998, and Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Berliner Philharmoniker 2002-2018. He took up the position of Music Director of the London Symphony Orchestra in 2017. Find out more about Sir Simon Rattle here