Tugan Sokhiev has been principal guest conductor and musical adviser of the Orchestre national du Capitole de Toulouse since September 2005. At just twenty-nine years of age, he already enjoys an enviable reputation. He is in demand with orchestras and opera houses throughout the world, maintaining a close association with the Mariinsky Theatre and appearing as guest conductor with numerous international orchestras. In June 2005 he was voted Musical Discovery of the Year by the French Critics’ Circle (Syndicat professionnel de la critique).
Born in North Ossetia, Tugan Sokhiev trained at the St Petersburg Conservatory with Ilya Musin followed by Yuri Temirkanov. His First Prize at the International Prokofiev Competition in 2000 propelled him to the posts of chief conductor of the State Symphony Orchestra of Russia and artistic Director of the North Ossetian State Philharmonic Orchestra. He began his collaboration with the Kirov Opera in 2001, and made his debut at the New York Metropolitan Opera in 2003. He was also much acclaimed at the Festival of Aix-en-Provence in 2004 in L’Amour des trois oranges.
Among the notable orchestras he has conducted over the past few seasons are the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam, Austrian Radio (ORF) Orchestra, Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Stockholm Royal Philharmonic, Oslo Philharmonic, Munich Philharmonic, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg, and Orchestre National de France.
In the course of the 2006-07 season, he will appear with (among others) the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestre National de France, the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, the Philharmonia and the Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse. He will also make his debut at the Bayerische Staatsoper.