The chief executive of the Berlin Philharmonic Franz Xaver Ohnesorg has announced he is leaving a year after taking over the post.

Mr Ohnesorg, who took charge of the orchestra last September, will leave in January.

The Philharmonic is a secure ship which will continue to sail calm waters

Torsten Woehlert Berlin's cultural administration

The announcement came ahead of the orchestra's return to London for concerts at the Festival Hall on Friday and Saturday.

It is just a month since Sir Simon Rattle began his 10-year tenure as the orchestra's new chief conductor and artistic director.

Replacement awaited

A statement issued by the orchestra's management said the decision was for "personal reasons."

It added that "other members of the board of directors are aware of and endorse the reasons named by Mr Ohnesorg, and respect and accept his wish".

Mr Ohnesorg was formerly in charge of Carnegie Hall

The statement said Mr Ohnesorg, a former director of the Cologne Philharmonic, had agreed to remain as an adviser to the orchestra for the rest of his contract, which ends in August 2006.

On Wednesday, the head of Berlin's cultural administration, Torsten Woehlert said: "The Philharmonic is a secure ship which will continue to sail calm waters and, with Maestro Rattle, really has something to offer."

The orchestra has not said who will be his replacement.

Mr Ohnesorg, who took over the orchestra after two years in charge of New York's Carnegie Hall, replaced Elmar Weingarten at the Berlin Philharmonic in September 2001.

He helped transform the Philharmonic into a self-run foundation with a greater degree of financial and artistic autonomy.