Ilan Volkov
(c) Astrid Ackermann

The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra has announced the appointment of Ilan Volkov as Principal Guest Conductor from 2026 to 2029. Pianist Alice Sara Ott and saxophonist Jess Gillam will be Collaborative Artists for 2026–28. The news builds on the announcement of a two-year contract extension for Kazuki Yamada, which will see him remain as Music Director until at least the end of the 2028–29 Season, the continued relationship with Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla as Associate Artist, and the announcement of composer and producer Rushil Ranjan as Collaborative Artist for 2025-27.

Israeli conductor Ilan Volkov (49) made it recently into the news when he decided to no longer conduct in Israel and subsequently wqas arrested by the Police during a protext action bear the boarder of Gaza. Volkov is Creative Partner witrh the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Creator and Artistic Director of the Tectonics Festivals, and

Principal Guest Conductor of the Brussels Philharmonic.