Ilan Volkov

Ilan Volkov (born 1976, Tel Aviv, Israel) is an orchestral conductor. His formative years were spent with the conductor Mendi Rodan at the Rubin Academy of Music in Jerusalem, before continuing at the Royal Academy of Music in London. At age 19, he was named Young Conductor in Association to the Northern Sinfonia. He later served as conductor of Young Sinfonia, the youth orchestra of the Northern Sinfonia. [cite news | author=Dan Bye | title=Young conductor strives to bridge classical divide | url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/newspapers/sunday_times/scotland/article1178965.ece | work=The Times | date=2003-01-26 | accessdate=2007-02-24] In 1997, he became Principal Conductor of the London Philharmonic Youth Orchestra. In 1999, Seiji Ozawa named Volkov the Assistant Conductor with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. [cite news | author=Jessica Duchen | title=The young and the restless | url=http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/the-young-and-the-restless-532417.html | work=The Independent| date=2004-11-08 | accessdate=2007-02-22]

Volkov became Chief Conductor of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra (BBC SSO) in January 2003, having made his debut appearance with them in 1998. At the time, he was the youngest chief conductor appointed to a BBC orchestra. [cite news | author=Andrew Clements | title=BBCSSO/Volkov (Royal Albert Hall, London) | url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2003/aug/09/classicalmusicandopera.proms2003 | work=The Guardian | date=2003-08-09 | accessdate=2008-09-14] He was named the Royal Philharmonic Society Young Musician of the Year in 2004 in recognition of his work with the BBC SSO. In September 2007, the orchestra announced that Volkov is scheduled to step down from the chief conductorship in September 2009Tim Cornwell, "Top conductor to leave Scottish Symphony Orchestra" "The Scotsman", 2007-09-18.] , to be succeeded by Scottish conductor Donald Runnicles.

Volkov has made a speciality of recording long-unperformed or never before recorded works by neglected artists. He himself has spoken of his affinity with music written "between 1909 and the 20s". [cite news | author=Charlotte Higgins | title=Be very afraid | url=http://arts.guardian.co.uk/features/story/0,,1144541,00.html | work=The Guardian | date=2004-02-10 | accessdate=2007-02-15] Volkov has made several recordings for the Hyperion label. [cite news | author=Andrew Clements | title=Roslavets: Chamber Symphony; In the Hours of the New Moon | url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2006/dec/01/classicalmusicandopera5 | work=The Guardian | date=2006-12-01 | accessdate=2008-09-21] [cite news | author=Andrew Clements | title=Classical review: Britten, Piano Concerto; Young Apollo; Diversions, Osborne/BBCSSO/Volkov | url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/aug/29/classicalmusicandopera | work=The Guardian | date=2008-08-29 | accessdate=2008-09-21]

Volkov and his partner Maya Dunietz have a daughter, Nadia, born in August 2007 in Israel. [cite news | author=Matthew Westphal | title=Homecoming: Donald Runnicles to Succeed Ilan Volkov at BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra | url=http://www.playbillarts.com/news/article/7130.html | work=Playbill Arts | date=2007-10-01 | accessdate=2008-09-14] In Tel Aviv, Volkov and the jazz musician Assif Tsahar have established the performing venue Levontine 7. [cite news | author=David Kaufman | title=Instant weekend ... Tel Aviv | url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2007/nov/04/telaviv.escape?page=2 | work=The Observer | date=2007-11-04 | accessdate=2008-09-14]

References

External links

* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/musicscotland/bbcsso/about_the_orchestra/conductor.shtml Biography from the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra website]