Jurij Simonov

Jurij Simonov was born in Saratov, in the family of opera singers. At the age of twelve he performed at the conductor´s podium during the School Orchestra concert which played W.A. Mozart Symphony G minor No. 40.

He have studied in Leningrad´s Music Conservatory under Nikolai Rabinovich and was the assistant of Evgeny Mravinsky in Leningrad Philharmonics.

In 1966 Simonow scored II Award of Soviet Union Conducting Competition and in 1968 he became the first Russian Conductor who have won a competition in the Western Europe - Santa Cecilia Conducting Competition in Rome.

Simonow debuted in the "Bolshoi" Theater in 1969 with Aida. After his debut he was employed as the First Conductor and became the youngest permanent conductor in the institution´s history and he worked on this post until 1985. The most considerable event during this period was introducing Wagner´s masterpieces into the program after 40 years of break. Engaged in obligations at the "Bolshoi" Theatre, Simonov rarely could benefit from numerous invitations from the abroad. However in 1982 he debuted with the opera Evgeny Oniegin at Royal Opera House. In the same year he performed 3 concerts with London Symphony Orchestra.

At a later period he performed at Royal Philharmonic and London Philharmonic (1989). In 1986, he opend an artistic season in Convent Garden (Verdi, La Traviata).

W 1985 Simonow established in Moscow Small Symphony Orchestra with which he performed in Poland, Hungary, Germany and Italy. Simonv´s American debut had its place in 1989 with the orchestras such as: Boston Symphony i Los Angeles Philharmonic. Next year he conducted Verdi´s opera Don Carlos with Placido Domingo in Los Angeles, Musorgski´s Khovansktchina in San Francisco Opera in 1990 and Evgeny Onegin in Dallas (with Renee Fleming) in 1993.

Jurij Simonov have also conducted the orchestras: NHK Symphony in Japan, Belgian National Orchestra in Brussels, German Opera Orchestra (Berlin), Teatro Comunale Orchestra in Bologna, RAI Orchestra in Rome, Mediolan and Turyn, TVE in Madrid, orchestras in Sevilla and La Coruna, Hong Kong, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, City of Birmingham Symphony, Royal Scottish and English Northern Philharmonics Orchestras. He have also cooperated with the operas in Florence (Salome), Birmingham (Aida), Hamburg (Don Carlos), Marseille (La Forza del Destino). Simonow has a constant cooperation with Budapest Opera House showing there one of the Wagner´s masterpieces once a year.

From 1978 to 1991 Simonov was a professor in Moscow´s Conservatory of Music. He was a member of the jury of conducting competitions in Florence, Moscow, Tokyo and Budapest. From 1994 to 2002 Maestro Simonow was the Music Director of Belgian National Orchestra in Brussels. In 1997 he conducted the orchestras in Great Britain, Austria, Switzerland, Germany and France.

Jurij Simonov have made numerous recordings for e.g.: with Berliner Philharmonics for EMI, with London Symphony, London Philharmonic for Collins Classics and Royal Philharmonic for Tring International.