Ilan Volkov

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Israeli orchestral conductor (born 1976)

title: "Ilan Volkov" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["alumni-of-the-royal-academy-of-music", "musicians-from-tel-aviv", "israeli-people-of-ukrainian-jewish-descent", "1976-births", "living-people", "jewish-classical-musicians", "21st-century-israeli-conductors-(music)", "chief-conductors-of-the-bbc-scottish-symphony-orchestra", "jerusalem-academy-of-music-and-dance-alumni"] description: "Israeli orchestral conductor (born 1976)" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilan_Volkov" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Israeli orchestral conductor (born 1976) ::

Ilan Volkov (; born September 8, 1976, Tel Aviv) is an Israeli orchestral conductor, who has been chief conductor and guest conductor of a number of orchestras.

Biography

Volkov's father, Alexander Volkov, was a concert pianist. Ilan studied with the conductor Mendi Rodan at the Rubin Academy 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. 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.

Volkov first conducted the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra (BBC SSO) in 1998. He became chief conductor of the BBC SSO in January 2003, the youngest chief conductor appointed to a BBC orchestra at the time. He was named the Royal Philharmonic Society Young Musician of the Year in 2004, in recognition of his work with the BBC SSO. In December 2008, the BBC SSO announced the appointment of Volkov as its principal guest conductor, to commence after the conclusion of his tenure as chief conductor in September 2009.

In January 2011, the Iceland Symphony Orchestra named Volkov as its chief conductor and music director. Volkov concluded his tenure in August 2014, following the orchestra's debut at The Proms.

Volkov first guest-conducted the Brussels Philharmonic in March 2021. In February 2022, the orchestra announced his appointment as principal guest conductor, for the 2022–2023 season.

Volkov has made a specialty of recording long-unperformed or never before recorded works by neglected artists. He has spoken of his affinity with music written between 1909 and the (19)20s. He has made several recordings for the Hyperion label.

Volkov and his partner Maya Dunietz have a daughter, Nadia, born in August 2007 in Israel. In Tel Aviv, Volkov and the jazz musician Assif Tsahar have established the performing venue Levontine 7.

Activism

In September 2025, after a concert at Royal Albert Hall in London, Volkov condemned Israel's war on Gaza as well as the destruction and high civilian casualties. He also urged for an intervention by the international community, stating that Israelis, Jews, and Palestinians "won't be able to stop this alone."

On 19 September, Volkov was arrested by Israeli police during a protest at the Gaza–Israel border, calling for an end of the genocide in Gaza stating, "We need to stop the genocide now. It's ruining everyone's lives. Stop it."

References

References

  1. Kenneth Walton. (2003-01-27). "Taking the baton". The Scotsman.
  2. Dan Bye. (2003-01-26). "Young conductor strives to bridge classical divide". The Times.
  3. Jessica Duchen. (2004-11-08). "The young and the restless". The Independent.
  4. Andrew Clements. (2003-08-09). "BBCSSO/Volkov (Royal Albert Hall, London)". The Guardian.
  5. Michael Tumelty. (2008-12-10). "Working with perfect harmony". The Herald.
  6. (11 January 2011). "Iceland Symphony Orchestra Names Ilan Volkov Music Director Designate". Iceland Symphony Orchestra.
  7. (2011-01-11). "Volkov verður aðalstjórnandi Sinfóníuhljómsveitarinnar". Morgunblaðið.
  8. (2014-06-19). "Volkov kvaddur". RÚV.
  9. Erica Jeal. (2014-08-24). "Prom 48: Iceland Symphony Orchestra review – energetic but imperfect debut". The Guardian.
  10. (21 February 2022). "Brussels Philharmonic appoints Ilan Volkov as new Principal Guest Conductor". Brussels Philharmonic.
  11. Charlotte Higgins. (2004-02-10). "Be very afraid". The Guardian.
  12. Andrew Clements. (2006-12-01). "Roslavets: Chamber Symphony; In the Hours of the New Moon". The Guardian.
  13. Andrew Clements. (2008-08-29). "Classical review: Britten, Piano Concerto; Young Apollo; Diversions, Osborne/BBCSSO/Volkov". The Guardian.
  14. Andrew Clements. (2010-04-22). "Stravinsky: The Fairy's Kiss; Scènes de Ballet". The Guardian.
  15. Tim Cornwell, "Top conductor to leave Scottish Symphony Orchestra" ''The Scotsman'', 2007-09-18.
  16. Matthew Westphal. (2007-10-01). "Homecoming: Donald Runnicles to Succeed Ilan Volkov at BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra". Playbill Arts.
  17. David Kaufman. (2007-11-04). "Instant weekend ... Tel Aviv". The Observer.
  18. (15 September 2025). "'Stop this maddness': Israeli conductor Ilan Volkov condemns war on Gaza at BBC Proms".
  19. Gilson, Grace. (15 September 2025). "Israeli conductor calls for end to Gaza war in London concert: ‘What’s happening now is atrocious’".
  20. (20 September 2025). "Watch: Israeli conductor Ilan Volkov arrested at protest near Israel-Gaza border".

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alumni-of-the-royal-academy-of-musicmusicians-from-tel-avivisraeli-people-of-ukrainian-jewish-descent1976-birthsliving-peoplejewish-classical-musicians21st-century-israeli-conductors-(music)chief-conductors-of-the-bbc-scottish-symphony-orchestrajerusalem-academy-of-music-and-dance-alumni