Yan Pascal Tortelier
Yan Pascal Tortelier enjoys a distinguished career as guest conductor of the world’s most prestigious orchestras. He began his musical career as a violinist and, at the age of 14, won first prize for violin at the Paris Conservatoire, making his soloist debut with the London Philharmonic Orchestra shortly afterward. Following general musical studies with Nadia Boulanger, he studied conducting with Franco Ferrara at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena.
In 2020, Yan Pascal Tortelier concluded his tenure as Chief Conductor of the Iceland Symphony Orchestra with whom he has built a very special relationship in this role over the years. Former positions have included Principal Conductor and Artistic Director of the Ulster Orchestra (1989–1992) and Principal Guest Conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (2005–2008). In the years 2009-2011, he was also Principal Conductor of the Orquestra Sinfônica do Estado de São Paulo. Following his outstanding work as Chief Conductor of the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra (1992–2003), he was given the title of Conductor Emeritus and continues to work and record with the orchestra regularly.
Throughout his distinguished career, Yan Pascal Tortelier has collaborated with many orchestras including the London Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestre de Paris, Saint Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, Oslo Philharmonic, Filarmonica della Scala in Milan, Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Boston and Chicago symphony orchestras, Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra. In addition, the conductor recently enjoyed a highly successful debut with the George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra in Bucharest.
Yan Pascal Tortelier has enjoyed a long cooperation with Chandos Records, resulting in an extensive catalogue of recordings. Albums of orchestral music by Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel (including an orchestral version of Ravel’s Piano Trio in Yan Pascal Tortelier’s arrangement), César Franck, and Henri Dutilleux have received numerous awards. His latest album Évocations, with music by Albert Roussel, features the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, the CBSO Chorus, and soloists Alessandro Fisher (tenor) and François le Roux (baritone).
[2025]