Yan Pascal Tortelier

Yan Pascal Tortelier was Principal Conductor of the Iceland Symphony Orchestra from 2016-2019. 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 fourteen, won first prize for violin at the Paris Conservatoire, making his soloist debut with the London Philharmonic Orchestra shortly afterwards. Following general musical studies with Nadia Boulanger, Tortelier studied conducting with Franco Ferrara at the Accademia Chigiana in Siena. Further positions since then have included Principal Conductor and Artistic Director of the Ulster Orchestra (1989-1992) and Principal Guest Conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (2005-2008). He was also Principal Conductor of the Sao Paulo Symphony Orchestra from 2009-2011, and currently holds the position of Guest Conductor of Honour, in which capacity he returns to the orchestra regularly. Following his outstanding work as Chief Conductor of the BBC Philharmonic between 1992 and 2003, including annual appearances at the BBC Proms and a very successful tour of the US to celebrate the orchestra's 60th anniversary season, he was given the title of Conductor Emeritus and continues to work with the orchestra regularly. He also holds the position of Principal Guest Conductor at the Royal Academy of Music in London.

Yan Pascal Tortelier has collaborated with major orchestras including the London Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestre de Paris, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Czech Philharmonic, St Petersburg Philharmonic, Oslo Philharmonic, Filarmonica della Scala in Milan, Philadelphia Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Minnesota Orchestra, and the Boston and Chicago Symphony Orchestras. Further afield, he has collaborated with the Sydney Symphony, Melbourne Symphony, Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony, and Malaysian Philharmonic orchestras.