Alexander Lazarev

Who is Alexander Lazarev?

Alexander Lazarev is a Russian conductor. He studied at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory, and later at the Moscow Conservatory with Leo Ginsbourg. In 1971, he was the first prize winner in a national conducting competition in the USSR. In 1972, he won a first prize and gold medal in the Karajan conducting competition in Berlin.

From 1987-1995, Lazarev was both Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Bolshoi Theatre, the first person in over thirty years to hold both positions simultaneously. From 1992-1995, he was Principal Guest Conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra. In 1994, Lazarev became Principal Guest Conductor of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. From 1997-2005, he served as principal conductor of the RSNO, and is now its Conductor Emeritus. Lazarev is also the Chief Conductor of Japan Philharmonic Orhestra from 2009 September.