ALEXANDER
GORDON
CONDUCTOR
Alexander Gordon has achieved considerable international recognition as a soloist,
conductor, chamber musician and teacher.
Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Alexander changed his family name from Zemtsov to
Gordon, protesting against Russian aggression and the use of the letters “Z O V” as symbols of
Vladimir Putin's regime.
Following a successful career as a viola player, including taking on the position of Principal Viola
of the London Philharmonic Orchestra at the age of 23, Gordon made his conducting debut with the
Finnish Lappeenranta Symphony Orchestra in 2014. He has developed his reputation as a sought-after
conductor working with the Ukranian Orchestra INSO-Lviv, Bulgarian National Radio- Symphony
Orchestra, the Mannheim Chamber Orchestra in Germany, the National Opera of Ukraine in Kyiv, the
Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra, and the London Philharmonic Orchestra.
As conductor, he has collaborated with many of the world’s finest musicians including Mischa Maisky,
Simon Trpceski, Roman Simovic, Boris Garlitsky, Gordon Nicolic and Tabea Zimmermann.
In 2016 Alexander Gordon was appointed artistic advisor and conductor of the International New
Symphony Orchestra (INSO) in Lviv, giving this multinational German-Russian-Ukrainian-Jewish
musician the role of an “Ambassador of Peace” in Ukraine. His recording with INSO Lviv on Toccata
Classics of 24 Caprices by Paganini orchestrated for Symphony Orchestra by Ukrainian composer
Myroslav Skoryk was ‘highly acclaimed’ by BBC Radio 3’s CD Review.
“Alexander Gordon is a musician of high talent and strong persuasion”
KURT MASUR
“Alexander possesses a pronounced “cantabile” beat and is obtaining a rich sound from an orchestra”
Vladimir Jurovski
A recording contract between Toccata Classics London and Alexander Gordon as a conductor has started in
2017.
A dedicated chamber musician Alexander Gordon has regularly performed with Misha Maisky, Dmitri
Sitkovetsky, Gerhard Schulz, Peter Donohoe, Natalia Gutman, Totlief Thedeen, Eldar Nebolsin, Maximilian
Hornung, Pascal and Michel Moragues, Gordan Nikolic, Roman Simovic, Patrick Gallois, Jan-Erik Gustafsson
as well as with Utrecht and Schumann String Quartets.
He has also performed regularly as a soloist in Europe, the USA, Asia and Australia under conductors
such as Neeme Jarvi, Vladimir Jurowski, Leif Segerstam, and Jukka-Pekka Saraste and Alexander
Vedernikov.
Born in 1978 into a family of musicians Alexander Gordon completed his diploma HfMT Hamburg with Marius
Nichiteanu, Master's studies at ZUYD in Maastricht with Michael Kugel and as a postgraduate with Tabea
Zimmermann at the Hochschule Hanns Eisler in Berlin. He completed his Masters in Conducting at the ZUYD
with Vassily Sinaisky. He took inspiration from masterclasses with his mentors Kirill Petrenko,
Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Vladimir Jurowski, Neeme, and Paavo Jarvi.
Gordon has won numerous prizes and awards including International Competition "Classical Legacy" in
Moscow (First Prize, 1995), Elise Meyer Competition in Hamburg (First Prize, 1997), Brahms Competition
in Poertschach, Austria (First Prize, 2001)
Alexander Gordon taught at a number of European conservatoires including the Guildhall School of Music
and Drama in London, the Vienna Konservatorium. He is currently professor at the Haute École de Musique
de Lausanne and the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz in Cologne.
He began his professional music-making career as principal viola with the London Philharmonic Orchestra
at the age of 23. As violist he has recorded for Chandos, LPO Live, Navis Classics, Naxos and Toccata
Classics. He has conducted recordings for Toccata Classics and Naxos.
INSO LVIV ORCHESTRA
Paganini Skoryk Caprices
CHAMBER ORCHESTRA BASEL PHILHARMONIC QUINTET
Marisa Minder, Guitar
Hanns Haug – Concertino
PAZARDZIK SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Vittorio Benaglia, Viola
Denitsa Laffchieva, Clarinet
Alexander Gordon, Conductor
19 June 2024 19:30
Hochschule für Music Basel
Kammerorchester Basel
Symphony Orchestra
18 May 2024
Lviv Philharmonic Hall
INSO-Lviv National
Symphony Orchestra
Alexander Gordon Conductor Sofiia Solovii, soprano
20 April 2024
Lviv Philharmonic Hall
INSO-Lviv Academic
Symphony Orchestra
Alexander Gordon Conductor
14 March 2024 19:00
Arad Philharmonic Orchestra
Arad Philharmonic Hall Romania
Alexander Gordon Conductor
Andra Heesch Viola
Robert Daniel Rădoiaș
Choir conductor
06 March 2024
Alexander Gordon conductor
Royal Conservatory of Antwerpen Orchestra
Mozart Sinfonia Concertante for four winds K297b
Bruckner Symphony No. 4
28 February 2024 20:00
Orchestra ORCW
Mons, Belgium, Arsonic
Alexander Gordon Conductor
20 October 2023
The Academic College
The Transylvania State
Philharmonic
Choir and Orchestra
Alexander Gordon Conductor,
Viola
Roman Kim Violin
Denitsa Laffchieva Clarinet
22 September 2023
Royal Conservatory Brussels
Alexander Gordon Conductor
02 September 2023
Talent Music Master
Festival and Masterclass
Festival Orchestra
Alexander Gordon conductor
19 August 2023
Stockholm Festival
Festival Orchestra
Alexander Gordon conductor
18 August 2023
Stockholm Festival
Festival Orchestra
Alexander Gordon conductor
1-6 August 2023
Foundation Festival
Mentorship Leadership
Alexander Gordon conductor
22-27 July 2023
Bulgaria Tour
10-16 July 2023
Grafenegg Austra
9 July 2023
Lviv Philharmonic Hall
INSO-Lviv Academic
Symphony Orchestra
Alexander Gordon conductor
6 May 2023 18:00
INSO-Lviv
Lviv Philharmonic Hall
Alexander Gordon conductor
21 April 2023 19:00
Pomeranian Philharmonic
Symphony Orchestra
Alexander Gordon conductor
Maria Slawek violin
30 March 2023 19:00
Sibiu Philharmonic
Orchestra Romania
State Philharmonic Sibiu
Alexander Gordon Conductor
Razvan Popovici Viola
2 March 2023 19:00
Saglasie 1869 Hall
Pleven Bulgaria
Pleven Philharmonic Orchestra Plamena Mangova, Piano
Alexander Gordon Conductor
18 February 2023 19:30
Salle Équilibre Fribourg
INSO Lviv
Sebastian Manz Clarinet
Alexander Gordon Conductor
16 February 2023 19:30
Stadtcasino Basel
INSO Lviv
Sebastian Manz Clarinet
Alexander Gordon Conductor
15 February 2023 19:30
Stadtcasino Basel
INSO Lviv
Sebastian Manz Clarinet
Alexander Gordon Conductor
14 February 2023 20:00
Villingen-Schwenningen
Franziskaner Konzerthaus
INSO Lviv
Sebastian Manz Clarinet
Alexander Gordon Conductor
7 February 2023
LVIV PHILHARMONIC HALL
Orchestra INSO Lviv
Taras Gamar Clarinet
Alexander Gordon Conductor
22 March 2022
Concert Solidarity to Ukraine
Opera Nice France
Works by Silvestrov, Skoryk and Brahms
20 October 2021
L'Auditori de Barcelona 19:30
LONDON PHILHARMONIC
ORCHESTRA
29 June 2022
Festival Symphony Orchestra
With musicians from 16 countries
Concert for Peace
conductor Alexander Gordon
Congress Centre Varna Bulgaria
19 October 2021
LONDON PHILHARMONIC
ORCHESTRA
Auditorio National Madrid
14 October 2021
Pori Sinfonietta
Promenadisali 19:30
11 July 2021
Burgas opera
Philarmonic Orchestra
Summer Stage Burgas
10 March 2021
Sofia Philarmonic
Orchestra
Bulgaria Hall
26-28 April 2021
London Philarmonic
Orchestra
Vladimir Jurowski
Asst Cond Alexandr Gordon
22-24 April 2021
London Philarmonic
Orchestra
Vladimir Jurowski
Asst Cond Alexandr Gordon
19-21 April 2021
London Philarmonic
Orchestra
Vladimir Jurowski
Asst Cond Alexandr Gordon
1-8 August 2020
LEAD! ACADEMY FOR
CONDUCTORS AND
SOLOISTS
FISKARS SUMMER
FESTIVAL
05 May 2020
NAXOS CD Label
NEW CD Release
19 March 2020
Pori Sinfonietta Finland
06 February 2020
National Opera of Ukraine
Kyiv
06 February 2020
National Opera of Ukraine
Kyiv
06 October 2019
Royal Concertgebouw,
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
04 October 2019
Utrecht, Netherlands
17-27 August 2019
Aurora and Lead! Viola
Mentoring
Conducting Assistance for J P
Saraste
Stockholm and Trollhatten
Sweden
22-25 July 2019
Concerts
Schloss Hohenprissnitz,
Germany
Taurida Orchestra St Petersburg
Conducting Academy Vassily
Sinaisky
11-20 July 2019
Parnu Music Festival
Jarvi Academy
Tallinn, Pärnu Estonia
27 March 2019
Lviv Philharmonic Hall
24 January 2019
Energiaa Beethovenista I
Zemtsov & Viola
Promenadisali Pori Finnland
18 December 2018
Bulgaria Hall Sopfia
Gordon & Viola
Promenadisali Pori Finnland
16 December 2018
OZM Dortmund Germany
27 January 2017
Bulgaria Hall Sofia
Berlioz under Simon Rattle
“Perhaps the exceptional viola
solos of Alexander Zemtsov in the
“Ballad of the King of Thule”
merit a spotlight of their own”
Rheinpfalz.de
“Energetic and emotional…. The ensemble
played consistently compact, intense, and
lively, exposed
contrast effects, accents
and dynamic nuances…The performance
at a remarkable level under Alexander
Zemtsov…. “
hispaniaconciertos.com
Тhe London Philharmonic Orchestra,
returns to the stages of Spain, this time,
under the baton of conductor Alexander
Zemtsov