©Photo: Mischa Blank

Aziz Shokhakimov

Conductor

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“It takes a vision to conduct such a masterpiece […] It takes an authority to guarantee all the nuances of the score […] Aziz Shokhakimov has it all.”
ResMusica, September 2022

Music Director: Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg
Artistic Director: Tekfen Philharmonic Orchestra

Aziz Shokhakimov is Music Director to Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg and Artistic Director to Tekfen Philharmonic Orchestra. During 2015 – 2021 he held the position of Kapellmeister to Deutsche Oper am Rhein. His guest conducting has included orchestras such as Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester, WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, and hr-Sinfonieorchester. In North America, he has conducted Houston, Utah, Toronto and Seattle symphony orchestras.

Upcoming engagements include Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Dallas Symphony Orchestra which will include the world premiere of Andrew Norman’s Trombone Concerto, and Seattle Symphony. He will also return to the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Gulbenkian Orchestra and Sinfonieorchester Basel amongst others. Following their recent success at the Paris Philharmonie, Aziz Shokhakimov will return with the Orchestre Philharmonqiue de Strasbourg which will include Prokofiev Symphony No.5. Recent season highlights include Wiener Symphoniker, Orchestre della Suisse Romande, Swedish Radio Symphony, RAI Turin, Tokyo Symphony and Seoul Philharmonic.

Aziz Shokhakimov is equally prolific in the operatic repertoire. The 2023/24 season saw his debut at Bayerischer Staatsoper conducting Tchaikovsky’s Pique Dame, where he will also return in 2024/25 to conduct Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor. In 2023/24 he made his debut with Opera National de Paris with Lucia di Lammermoor. As part of his tenure with Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg, he has conducted a new production of Wagner’s Lohengrin at Opera du Rhin. As Kapellmeister at Deutsche Oper am Rhein he conducted a new production of The Queen of Spades, Madame Butterfly, Salome and Tosca among others.

Together with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg, Aziz Shokhakimov has released two recordings on Warner Classics. In 2024, they released Prokofiev Symphony No.1 and Suites No. 1&2 Romeo and Juliet, and in 2023 Tchaikovsky Symphony No.5 and Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture. Concerts with the orchestra and Shokhakimov are also frequently broadcast on Medici.TV, including Brahms’ A German Requiem and Verdi Requiem.

Shokhakimov has an ongoing relationship with Salzburg Festival where, having been selected from more than 100 candidates, he won the prestigious Salzburg Festival Young Conductors Award in August 2016. He returned to the Salzburg Festival in August 2017 for the prize-winner’s concert with RSO Wien and conducted the Opening Ceremony of Salzburg Festival with Patricia Kopatchinskaja in 2019.

Born in 1988 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Shokhakimov entered the Uspensky Music School for Gifted Children at the age of six, studying violin, viola and orchestral conducting (in the class of Professor Vladimir Neymer). At 13 he made his debut with National Symphony Orchestra of Uzbekistan, conducting Beethoven’s Symphony No.5 and Liszt’s Piano Concerto No.1. During the following year he conducted his first opera, Carmen, at the National Opera of Uzbekistan. He was appointed Assistant Conductor of National Symphony Orchestra of Uzbekistan in 2001 and became its Principal Conductor in 2006. In 2010, at the age of just 21, Shokhakimov won second place at the Gustav Mahler International Conducting Competition in Bamberg, under the auspices of the Bamberger Symphoniker. In 2023, he received the French critics’ prize ‘la personnalité musicale of the year’.

HarrisonParrott represents Aziz Shokhakimov for worldwide general management.

Prokofiev Romeo and Juliet Suite No. 1: Death Tybalt Excerpt © Strasbourg Philharmonic/Medici TV

Verdi Requiem, Dies Irae © Strasbourg Philharmonic/Medici TV

Bizet’s Symphony No.1 3rd movement Allegro Vivace © Strasbourg Philharmonic/Medici TV

Basel SO / Shostakovich Symphony No. 9 excerpt © Sinfonieorchester Basel

“[..] the young conductor Aziz Shokhakimov gave substance to the intense [Shostakovich] 10^th Symphony. This major work of the twentieth century, rich and complex, requires experience, mastery, a quasi-architectural understanding of the work, finesse and power. And this Wednesday evening at Radio France, Aziz Shokhakimov embraced the full extent of this monumental symphony.”

(Flore Vedry-Roussev, Classic Agenda, March 2019)

“Set in perfect harmony with admirable solos, the orchestra shows its full dimension under the baton of Aziz Shokhakimov!”

(Flore Vedry-Roussev, Classic Agenda, March 2019)

“His lightning interpretation unleashes the storm, seeming to take everything in its wake by its devastating breath.”

(Michel Jakubowicz, ON-mag, March 2019)

“An interpretation full of musicality and good ideas from the young Aziz Shokhakimov who triumphed in his Parisian debut. A well-deserved ovation for this dynamic conductor who has a great career ahead of him. This young man is worth following!“

(“Andika’s blog”, March 2019)

“The second half was composed entirely of Brahms’ mighty Symphony No. 4… Shokhakimov showed his deft skill at balancing the sections of the orchestra while building overall momentum – with only fleeting respite during the Allegro giocoso that finally culminated with the fiery Allegro energico e passionate. Once again, the crowd awarded their new conducting hero and re-energized orchestra with a rousing standing ovation.”

(Winnipeg Free Press)

“An incredible conductor, just 22 years old, that we hope will be secured as Principal Guest Conductor of the Comunale Orchestra before another theatre discovers his great talent. At the end, the large audience went literally mad…”

(Il Resto del Carlino)

“The set repertoire, with Mahler’s earnest Fourth Symphony at its core, had already given an edge to participants who combined intense focus with a strong ability to structure rehearsals. Shokhakimov commanded the orchestra in an old-world manner.”

(Financial Times)

“The Finale was striking in the unleashing of undreamed-of energy. Many only scratch the surface with excessive tempo, but here there was real depth.”

(Sächsische Zeitung)