The Sydney Symphony Orchestra has announced that Simone Young’s contract as Chief Conductor has been extended by two years until the end of 2026.

Young’s first two seasons as Chief Conductor of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra have been marked by acclaimed performances and landmark events and the announcement of her extension as Chief Conductor has offered Young a chance to reflect on the triumphs of the recent past but also on the future, and the trajectory that the Sydney Symphony is on as it heads towards its centenary in 2032.

In a statement, she said, “I’m very happy with where we have got to in these couple of years. I feel like we’re building something.”

She added, “This orchestra means a huge amount to me. It was the orchestra I then grew up with as my passion for music developed. It was the orchestra for which I queued up for hours to get standing room tickets. It was the orchestra through which I discovered a huge amount of repertoire for the first time – and that stays with you. What I have always loved about this orchestra is its extraordinary versatility. There are some orchestras where you say, ‘Oh, they sound great playing Russian music,’ or ‘they sound fantastic in the late Romantic music.’ This orchestra has always had a huge breadth of repertoire and a breadth of brilliance.”

Young first guest-conducted the Sydney Symphony Orchestra in 1996 and in Dec. 2019, the SSO announced the appointment of Young as its next chief conductor. She became the first female conductor to be named chief conductor of the SSO.