Welcome

Stanley Chia-Ming Dodds was born in Canada, grew up in Australia and is now based in Berlin. He began violin and piano studies in Adelaide at age four and continued his music education in Linz (Austria) and in Lucerne (Switzerland). After concluding his Bachelor and Masters studies in Lucerne he became a scholar at the Karajan Academy of the Berlin Philharmonic before receiving tenure as a violinist in the Berlin Philharmonic in 1994.

He studied conducting in Australia, Switzerland and Germany, his most important mentor being the acclaimed Finnish professor Jorma Panula. Other important influences on his conducting career have been the chief conductors of the Berlin Philharmonic during his tenure there, Claudio Abbado and Sir Simon Rattle.

Stanley Dodds has been music director of the Schoeneberg Symphony Orchestra since 2006 as well as of the Berlin Sibelius Orchestra since 2002. He performs frequently with both orchestras and as guest conductor with 'das sinfonie-orchester berlin' in Berlin's principal music venues, the Philharmonie and the Konzerthaus.

His repertoire encompasses the core German and Austro-Hungarian symphonic works of the 19th and early 20th century, including eastern European composers and with a particular affinity for the works of Beethoven, Schumann, Wagner, Brahms, Bruckner, Mahler, Berg, Sibelius, Bartók, Janáček and Stravinsky.

He has conducted 'das sinfonie orchester berlin', Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Jena Philharmonic, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, Canberra Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra I Pomeriggi Musicale Milano, Orchestra Academy Scholars of the Berlin Philharmonic and the Scharoun Ensemble Berlin.

Stanley Dodds is frequently called upon to conduct ensembles of the Berlin Philharmonic, and has assisted Sir Simon Rattle in preparing works for performances in the Berlin Philharmonic subscription series. He works frequently with principals of the Berlin Philharmonic and has collaborated with many singers including Christine Schäfer, Anna Prohaska and Shen Yang.

In addition to his conducting activities he also maintains a position as media chairman and member of the executive board of the Berlin Philharmonic.