Ilan Volkov
© Vojtěch Brtnický
musical omnivore
Conductor
Principal Guest Conductor, Brussels Philharmonic
Principal Guest Conductor Designate, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
Creator and Artistic Director, Tectonics Festivals
Creative Partner, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
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‘He leant, he crouched, he jumped, he implored. Audience applause and thankfulness at the end were tremendous’
Geoff Brown of The Times reviews London Symphony Orchestra at the Barbican
A true musical omnivore, Ilan Volkov is acclaimed both for his vivid interpretations of core repertoire and his fearless commitment to contemporary music. Fostering long‑term partnerships, he has collaborated with BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra for more than two decades, now as Creative Partner. He serves as Principal Guest Conductor of Brussels Philharmonic and, from September, Principal Guest Conductor of City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. A proactive and influential commissioner of new music, Volkov has championed numerous new works, embedding them alongside the classical canon. His Tectonics Festival, founded in 2012, has become one of the world’s most distinctive platforms for new music.
‘We need to be very positive, believe in what we do and have faith in the players and the audience’
