Yan Pascal Tortelier

Yan Pascal Tortelier began his musical career as a violinist winning first prize for violin, at the age of 14, at the Paris Conservatoire and making his solo début 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, and from 1974 to 1983 he was Associate Conductor of the Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse. 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. From the 2016/17 season, Pascal will take up the position of Principal Conductor of the Iceland Symphony Orchestra. 

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. He also holds the position of Principal Guest Conductor at the Royal Academy of Music in London.

Tortelier has enjoyed a long association with Chandos Records, resulting in an extensive catalogue of recordings, notably with the BBC Philharmonic and Ulster orchestras, and including award-winning cycles of the orchestral music of Debussy, Ravel (featuring his own orchestration of Ravel's Piano Trio), Franck, Roussel, and Dutilleux. He has also conducted critically acclaimed discs of repertoire ranging from Hindemith and Kodály to Lutoslawski, and Karlowicz.