A 28-year-old Latvian conductor will become the new music director of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Andris Nelsons will lead the United Kingdom-based orchestra beginning with the 2008-2009 season.

Nelsons, at present the principal conductor with the Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie in Herford, Germany, will replace Sakari Oramo as the CSBO’s music director, according to a press release from the orchestra. Oramo is stepping down after 10 years leading the Birmingham symphony.

Nelsons’ career has included playing the trumpet with the Latvian National Opera Orchestra and winning the Latvian Grand Music Award in 2001 for outstanding achievement in music. He has studied conducting with Alexander Titov in St. Petersburg, Russia, and also with Latvia-born conductor Mariss Jansons.

From 2003-2007, he was principal conductor of the Latvian National Opera Orchestra.

“We are delighted to welcome Andris as our new music director,” Stephen Maddock, the Birmingham orchestra’s chief executive, said in a prepared statement. “He is a hugely impressive musician, with a really wide range of strengths in all kinds of repertoire. His versatility, his fresh and insightful musicianship, and his growing international reputation, together with his interest in our choral and educational activities, make him ideally placed to lead the CBSO forward after Sakari Oramo’s outstanding 10-year tenure.”

Nelsons’ first public performance with the Birmingham orchestra was in November. He also conducted the Birmingham orchestra in a recording, with Latvian violinist Baiba Skride, of works by Russian composer Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky. The compact disc, titled Souvenir Russe, was released in January.

Latvian President Valdis Zatlers has congratulated new Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on his election March 2, noting that relations between the two countries have improved in the past year.

Medvedev, 42, received more than 70 percent of votes in the Russian election, a process many outside observers said was assured when two-term President Vladimir Putin hand picked his successor. Putin is to become prime minister under Medvedev, guaranteeing that he will continue to have a powerful role in Russian affairs.

Zatlers sent a letter to Medvedev on March 5, wishing the new president well on his election, according to a spokesperson. Zatlers also told Medvedev that relations between Latvia and Russia should continue to be develeoped constructively, based on mutual understanding and advantage.

During the past year, the major diplomatic accomplishment for the two countries was signing of a border agreement in which Latvia recognized that the Abrene region is part of Russia. Although the territory was part of eastern Latvia after the signing of a peace treaty in 1920, under Soviet occupation the region in 1944 was made part of Russia.

But the past year also has seen points of tension. In January, Latvia expelled a Russian diplomat accused of spying and, in turn, Russia showed the door to a Latvian diplomat.

Final results in the Russian vote are expected to be announced March 7 by the country’s Central Election Commission.