“... In Halifax in 1991, I met only one candidate that was really very gifted, his name is George Pehlivanian. He is already having a very good career...” Pierre Boulez

Former Artistic Director and Chief Conductor

Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra

Principal Guest Conductor,

Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinlandpfalz

Principal Guest Conductor

Teatro Lirico di Cagliari
 

From January 2005, Mr. Pehlivanian became the first ever foreign Chief Conductor of the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2007 he was appointed the Principal Guest Conductor of the Cagliari Opera House in Sardegna. He also continues as Principal Guest Conductor of the Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz, as well as regular Guest Conductor of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. He has held Principal Guest Conductor positions with the Residentie Orchestra in The Hague (1996-1999) and the Vienna Chamber Orchestra (1996-2000).

Mr. Pehlivanian has conducted many of the world’s leading orchestras, including the London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonia, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Filarmonica della Scala, Accademia di Santa Cecilia Orchestra in Rome, Rotterdam Philharmonic, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Monte-Carlo Philharmonic, Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Orchestra Nazionale della RAI, BBC Philharmonic, Bamberger Symphoniker, the Norddeutschen, Hessischen and Südwestdeutschen Rundfunks, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Orquesta Nacional de España, Orquesta Radio Television de España, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, to name a few. In North America he has worked with all the main orchestras across Canada, as well as the Baltimore, Houston, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, St. Paul, Pacific and Honolulu Symphony Orchestras. Elsewhere, he has worked with the Russian National Orchestra, Moscow Philharmonic, Kirov Opera Orchestra, Sydney Symphony, Japan Virtuoso, Malaysian Philharmonic and Hong-Kong Philharmonic Orchestras. Very recently he had his debut with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra and the Leipzig Gewandhausorchester where he was immediately re-invited for the next season.

His operatic experience include ‘La Traviata’ at the Kirov, ‘Tosca’ in Bordeaux, The Dutch premiere of ‘Riders to the Sea’, ‘La Voix Humaine’ by Poulenc in La Cite de la Musique. In 2006, he enjoyed an enormous success in his Italian Lyric Debut at the Opera Teatro San Carlo, Napoli, conducting ‘Otello’, and was immediately re-invited to conduct ‘Cavalleria Rusticana’ and ‘Gianni Schicchi’ in 2007. Starting from 2008 in Cagliari as the Principal Guest Conductor, Maestro Pehlivanian conducted, ‘Pique Dame’, ‘Andrea Chenier’, ‘ Aida’. In Napoli, at the Teatro San Carlo, one production per year is planned, starting with ’Damnation de Faust’ and others.

He has conducted in many important Festivals including the closing concert of the first White Nights Festival in St. Petersburg, Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Ravenna, Ravello, Mito Milan, Aspen, Ljubljana, Grenada, BrucknerFestival Linz, Lugano, Verona Musica Septembre, Settimane Musicali di Merano, Jeunesse Musicale Wien and Festival Verdi in Parma. In 2007 he closed the Ljubljana Festival with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.

Mr. Pehlivanian enjoys the privilege of collaborating regularly with the world’s most distinguished soloists. Including this season are: Maxim Vengerov, Sarah Chang, Misha Maisky, Leonidas Kavakos, Julian Rachlin, Janine Jansen, Fazil Say, Marjana Lipovšek, Bernarda Fink, Vladimir Galuzin, to name but a few.

His discography includes a series of Recordings that are released with the Slovenian Philharmonic, covering the most celebrated Slovenian composers, as the Opera ‘Ekvinokcij’ by Marjan Kozina, and complete Symphonic albums by Blaž Arnič, and Marjan Kozina . Future recordings will include the music of Lucijan Marija Škerjanc and Matija Bravničar. Other recordings include a double CD release with Virgin Classics/EMI and the Monte Carlo Philharmonic, the world première recording of music by Zhukov under CHANDOS with the Residentie Orchestra, works by Rodrigo with the Orquesta Nacional de España STUDIO SM, as well as Liszt’s complete works for piano and orchestra in 3 Cds with Louis Lortie and the Residentie Orchestra for CHANDOS, the third instalment of which received special praise by Gramophone Magazine in May 2002.

Mr. Pehlivanian is also committed to supporting and encouraging young artists all over the world. From 2002-2004, he was the Founder and Artistic Director of the International Music Academy in Gandia (Spain). From 2005, he is the Founder and Artistic Director of his International Conducting Academy in Portorož (Slovenia).

George Pehlivanian captured international attention in 1991 when he became the first American to win the Grand Prize at the prestigious Besançon Conducting Competition aged 27. Since then, he has consolidated his reputation as one of the most compelling conductors of his generation.

Mr. Pehlivanian was born in Beirut, Lebanon, starting piano and violin lessons at the age of three and six respectively. In 1975, he emigrated with his family to Los Angeles where he would soon study conducting with Pierre Boulez, Lorin Maazel and Ferdinand Leitner. At the Accademia Chigiana in Siena, Italy, where he spent two summers, he was awarded the Diploma di Merito. At present, he lives with his family between Los Angeles, Paris and Ljubljana.