Born in Berlin, Christoph von Dohnanyi studied Law in Munich, but soon chose to study music full-time. On completion of his studies he was awarded the Richard Strauss Prize by the City of Munich. He continued his studies with his grandfather, Ernst von Dohnanyi, at Florida State University and subsequently took part in a conducors' course at Tanglewood.
In 1953 he was appointed repetiteur and conductor at the Frankfurt Opera, where he later became General Music Director. He was also Principal Conductor of the West German Radio Symphony Orchestra in Cologne and Intendant and Chief Conductor of the Hamburg State Opera.
In 1984-2002 he was Music Director of the Cleveland Orchestra, becoming the orchestra's first Music Director Laureate in 2002. Christoph von Dohnanyi and the Cleveland Orchestra have appeared on numerous tours throughout the USA, Asia and Europe and have made many recordings. In 1997 he became Principal Conductor of the Philharmonia Orchestra, having been Principal Guest Conductor since 1994. In addition to the regular concert series of this orchestra in London, he has conducted the Philharmonia on tours to the USA and Europe and in many productions at the ThéÌâÌtre du ChâÌtelet in Paris.
Christoph von Dohnanyi has conducted all the world's major orchestras and opera houses, including the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, La Scala Milan, the Vienna State Opera and the Metropolitan Opera. In orchestral concerts he has appeared with the Berlin Philharmonic, the Vienna Philharmonic, the New York Philharmonic, the Royal Concertgebouw Amsterdam, the Chicago and Boston Symphony orchestras and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, to name but a few.
His recordings have been widely praised and he is a regular guest at the Salzburg Festival. Since 2004, Christoph von Dohnanyi has been Chief Conductor of the NDR Symphony Orchestra and leads the orchestra in subscription concerts in Hamburg and other major places in Germany, in concerts at the Schleswig-Holstein Festival and on tour in Europe and South America.