Marin Alsop will remain as the Music Director of the São Paulo Symphony Orchestra until the end of December 2019, extending a formal relationship with the orchestra that began in 2012. 

Under the new contract, Alsop's time with the orchestra will increase to 12 weeks per season, and she and the orchestra will tour internationally.

Alsop is currently recording the Prokofiev symphonies with the orchestra for Naxos and there are plans to complete the symphony cycles of Brahms and Mahler. 

In the official announcement, Alsop said, 'My work with the São Paulo Symphony Orchestra is extremely gratifying and together we’ve not only raised the standards of performances but also taken the orchestra out to the people of the São Paulo region and internationally. This city is one of the most vibrant and exciting places on the planet right now and it’s thrilling to see the orchestra take its rightful place at the heart of this great metropolis. I eagerly look forward to seeing where this journey will take us!'

The Prokofiev symphony series on Naxos has been broadly well received by Gramophone's critics, with David Gutman writing of the most recent release of Symphonies Nos 1 and 2, 'While she is often credited with a flair for rhythm and colour, it is the broad, unforced naturalness of these readings which stakes out a distinctive territory.'

Gramophone produced a complete guide to Marin Alsop's recordings in a free digital magazine in 2003, which you can enjoy here.

Gramophone is presenting a cultural trip to São Paulo in June and July this year, which includes a concert with Marin Alsop and the São Paulo Symphony Orchestra. For further information visit: http://www.gramophone.co.uk/feature/gramophone-presents-music-art-and-culture-in-brazil