Tugan Sokhiev

Internationally renowned conductor Tugan Sokhiev divides his time between the symphonic and operatic repertoire, guest conducting the most prestigious orchestras around the world.

Sokhiev enjoys close relationships with orchestras such as the Vienna, Berlin, and Munich philharmonics, the orchestras of the Dresden and Berlin Staatskapelle, the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, and the Gewand­hausorchester Leipzig. Outside Europe, he is invited to conduct the finest US orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, and the Boston and Chicago symphony orchestras, and spends several weeks each season with the NHK Symphony Orchestra. As music director of the Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse from 2008 to 2022, Sokhiev led numerous successful concert seasons, including several world premieres and numerous tours abroad, propelling the orchestra to international prominence.

Sokhiev began the 2025–26 season conducting the Vienna Philharmonic, with concerts in Vienna, Bratislava, Hamburg, and Luxembourg, and rejoined the orchestra in October for their gala concert on the occasion of the 200th birthday of Johann Strauss, Jr. Further highlights of the season include concerts with the Berlin Philharmonic, his debut with The Cleveland Orchestra, a new production of Tannhäuser at the Zurich Opera, and returns to the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Luxembourg Philharmonic, and the Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia.

Sokhiev’s discography includes recordings with the Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse on Naïve and Warner Classics, winning the Diapason d’Or in 2020. His recordings with the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, where he was principal conductor from 2012 to 2016, are available on Sony Classical.

One of the last students of legendary teacher Ilya Musin at the St. Petersburg Conservatory, Sokhiev is eager to share his expertise with future generations of musicians, leading him in 2016 to found the International Conducting Academy in Toulouse. He also works with the young musicians of the Angelika Prokopp Summer Academy of the Vienna Philharmonic and the Mahler Chamber Orchestra Academy. He is honored to be a patron of the Philharmonic Brass Education Program and was extremely proud to collaborate with the Philhar­monic Brass on their first CD.