Yoel Gamzou with Mahler's 9th Symphony on BBC Radio 3 in Concert

Conductor Yoel Gamzou has a profound connection with the works of Gustav Mahler, whose influence has significantly shaped his musical career. This is evident not only in his completion of Mahler's 10th Symphony but also in his collaboration with the BBC Philharmonic - on 8 July, BBC Radio 3 in Concert will broadcast his performance of Mahler's 9th Symphony with the BBC Philharmonic. The concert was recorded in April 2025 at Bridgewater Hall in Manchester.

Gamzou began his musical journey at an early age and moved to New York City at the age of 15 to further his musical education. He founded the International Mahler Orchestra (IMO) in 2006 and won the 'Special Prize' at the Gustav Mahler Conducting Competition in Bamberg in 2007. In 2010, his completion of Mahler's unfinished 10th Symphony was premiered, later published by Schott Music, and has since been performed worldwide. In addition to collaborating with renowned orchestras such as the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Stuttgart Philharmonic, the Milan Orchestra as well as the Essener Philharmoniker, Gamzou was General Music Director of the Theater Bremen until 2022 and has already made guest appearances at the Vienna and Hamburg State Operas.  

„We all know the question: which pieces of music would you take to a desert island? If I had to pick one, it would be Mahler’s 9th Symphony, the piece closest to my heart. Why the 9th? Mahler is the reason I became a musician when I first heard the 7th Symphony at age 7. But it was the 9th which changed my life forever. For me, this symphony is a musical and spiritual journey encompassing all human emotions and conditions with unprecedented intensity. It is a symphony about life, but also about a farewell ... not to one's physical existence existence, as in 'Das Lied von der Erde', but to tonality, to beauty, to music, and to old Europe. The last movement leaves us with a question: what comes next? The symphony starts with an irregular heartbeat and takes over 80 minutes to part with its final breath. I have conducted Mahler’s 9th over 30 times, but the concert with the BBC Philharmonic was unforgettable and I am thrilled that the recording of that concert will be broadcast for all to hear.“, says Yoel Gamzou.

For more information about Yoel Gamzou, visit yoelgamzou.com