France's Strasbourg Philharmonic Announces New Music Director

The Strasbourg Philharmonic has announced the appointment of 32-year-old Uzbek conductor Aziz Shokhakimov as its new Music Director

The Strasbourg Philharmonic in Strasbourg, France has this week announced the appointment of 32-year-old Uzbek conductor Aziz Shokhakimov as its new Music Director - effective from September 2021.

A former 1st prize winner at the Gustav Mahler Conducting Competition, Aziz previous served as Kapellmeister at the Deutsche Oper am Rhein, in Düsseldorf - and has recently led performances with the SWR Sinfonieorchester, Elbphilharmonie Orchester, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France and the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

“With the musicians, we believe that Aziz Shokhakimov will bring the Orchestra into a new era, raising the musical standard even higher ... he is the personification of an innovative and ambitious artistic project, which is part of the territory," Strasbourg Philharmonic Orchestra Executive Director Marie Linden has this week said.

“It’s a great honour to be chosen for the role of Music Director of the Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg ... since my first appearance with the orchestra in 2014, I have had a great chance to get to know the outstanding musicians and I feel immensely lucky that we have a deep connection as well as shared mutual interests and values ..." Aziz has today said.

"I’m very eager to start this exciting and fulfilling journey with the orchestra to explore a wide range of repertoire and different styles of music,” he has said.

He will succeed conductor Marko Letonja - who has held the position since 2012.