Renowned classical music conductor Jan Latham-Koenig has appeared in court charged with a child sex offence. 

The 70-year-old spoke to confirm his name and address at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday (January 12). 

On Thursday (January 11) he was charged with arranging/facilitating a child sexual offence and sexual communication with a child.  

Latham-Koenig attended Highgate School then studied at the Royal College of Music before starting a career as a concert conductor with the BBC. 

In 2011 he was the first British-born conductor to hold the role of artistic director at the Novaya Opera in Moscow.  

In 2020 he was made an OBE in Queen Elizabeth II’s Birthday Honours List for services to music and UK-Russia relations. 

Judge Maria Karaiskos KC released Latham-Koenig, of Pelham Crescent, South Kensington, on conditional bail and adjourned the case to February 9 at Westminster Magistrates’ Court.