Hailed as one of the most exciting conductors to emerge from France in recent years, YAN PASCAL TORTELIER has just stepped down as Principal Conductor of the BBC Philharmonic, a position he has held since 1992. Born into an intensely musical family, son of the late cellist Paul Tortelier, he studied piano and violin from the age of four and at fourteen won first prize for violin at the Paris Conservatoire. Following general musical studies with Nadia Boulanger, Tortelier studied conducting with Franco Ferrara in Siena.

As Principal Conductor of the BBC Philharmonic, Yan Pascal Tortelier appeared regularly throughout the UK with appearances at the BBC Proms and at leading festivals both in the UK and abroad. In 1995 he conducted the orchestra on a highly successful USA tour celebrating the BBC Philharmonic's 60th anniversary season.

In recognition of his outstanding work as Chief Conductor of the BBC Philharmonic, he has been given the title of the Conductor Laureate and will continue working with the orchestra in future seasons.

Yan Pascal Tortelier has an exclusive contract with Chandos Records and has made many highly praised recordings with the BBC Philharmonic.

He appears in regular engagements with leading orchestras throughout Europe, the US, Japan, and Australia, and in Britain he has worked with all the major orchestras. For several years he was Associate Conductor of the Orchestre du Capitole in Toulouse, and from 1989-92 he was Principal Conductor and Artistic Director of the Ulster Orchestra. In recognition of his success in Northern Ireland he has received an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Ulster.

In recognition of his outstanding work with the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, Yan Pascal Tortelier was appointed the Orchestra's first Principal Guest Conductor. Following his highly successful con-certs with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra last year,Yan Pascal Tortelier was appointed the orchestra's Principal Guest Conductor starting in September 2005.