In addition to studies in Switzerland, Bamert studied music in
Darmstadt and in Paris, with
Pierre Boulez and
Karlheinz Stockhausen, and their influences can be detected in his own compositions from the 1970s. He spent the years 1965 to 1969 as principal oboist with the Salzburg Mozart Orchestra, but then switched to conducting. Bamert's conducting career began in North America as an apprentice to
George Szell and later as assistant conductor to
Leopold Stokowski, and resident conductor of the
Cleveland Orchestra under
Lorin Maazel. He was music director of the
Swiss Radio Orchestra from 1977 to 1983. Bamert was principal guest conductor of the
Royal Scottish National Orchestra and director of the
Glasgow contemporary music festival
Musica Nova from 1985 to 1990. He has conducted the world premieres of works by composers such as
Toru Takemitsu,
John Casken,
James MacMillan and
Wolfgang Rihm. He was director of the
Lucerne Festival from 1992 to 1998. During his Lucerne tenure, a new concert hall was opened, and programme expansions included establishment of a new Easter Festival and a piano festival. Bamert served as principal guest conductor of the
New Zealand Symphony Orchestra (NZSO) from 2000 to 2005, chief conductor of the
West Australian Symphony Orchestra (WASO) from 2003 to 2006. His initial contract with WASO was through 2007, but dissatisfaction with his tenure caused the orchestra to terminate his contract 18 months early, in May 2006. Bamert was named chief conductor of the
Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra in November 2004, and served in the post from 2005 to 2008. In October 2017, the
Sapporo Symphony Orchestra announced the appointment of Bamert as its next chief conductor, effective with the 2018–2019 season, with an initial contract of three seasons. Sapporo Symphony Orchestra announced in February 2020 that they have extended Bamert's tenure through the 2023–2024 season. Bamert has conducted over 60 recordings, including recordings with
Chandos Records of music by
Josef Mysliveček,
Parry (the complete symphonies) and
Frank Martin (5 discs) with the
London Philharmonic Orchestra, the symphonies of
Roberto Gerhard with the
BBC Symphony Orchestra, Dutch composers such as
Johannes Verhulst and
Cornelis Dopper with the
Residentie Orchestra, a series devoted to Leopold Stokowski arrangements, concert music by
Korngold and
Ernő Dohnányi with the
BBC Philharmonic. He has also conducted a series of recordings of
John Field's compositions for piano and orchestra with
Míceál O'Rourke. Among his own compositions, Bamert's
Mantrajana was recorded by the
Louisville Orchestra by their own record label (the composer conducting) in 1974 (Louisville Orchestra LS 741). Bamert has lived in London since 1987. ==References==