‘Energetic’ (The Guardian) & ‘extraordinary talented’ (Pizzicato, Luxembourg), the young Israeli conductor and pianist Mikhail Shekhtman is one of the most promising musicians of his generation. Internationally acclaimed for his performances of symphonic, operatic and chamber music, he is the recipient of the prestigious German OPUS-Klassik award and the Bavarian Radio Prize.
Shekhtman has performed in some of the world’s leading concert venues - Leipzig Gewandhaus, Berlin Philharmonie, Vienna Konzerthaus, Zurich Tonhalle, Paris Théâtre des Champs-Élysées , Hamburg Laeiszhalle, Melbourne Recital Centre, Seattle Benaroya Hall, Seoul Lotte Concert Hall, , Great Hall of the St. Petersburg Philhamonie. He has also performed in major music festivals including Lucerne Easter Festival, Gstaad Menuhin Festival, Verbier Festival, Bad Kissingen Festival.

Shekhtman has accompanied prominent soloists both as conductor and pianist, including Anna Netrebko, Augustin Hadelich, Ilya Gringolts, Julia Lezhneva, Yusif Eyvazov, Maxim Vengerov, Valentine Michaud. He was assistant conductor to Daniel Harding and Sir Antonio Pappano at the Verbier Festival.
In 2021, Shekhtman founded festivalorchestra, bringing together musicians from Israel, Ukraine, Russia, United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, South Korea and more. Their recordings of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring and Mahler’s Symphony No. 7 have been critically acclaimed. I
n 2023, festivalorchestra, under Shekhtman’s baton, recorded the world premiere of ‘Con moto’ by Bernd Richard Deutsch, published by Boosey & Hawkes[BH1] .
Among engagements this season Shekhtman leads Bamberger symphoniker - here is the review by one of the key members of the orchestra:
“Mr Shekhtman showed an
absolutely outstanding performance conducting my beloved orchestra. His insight into the unknown
dephths of Gustav Mahler's music,
his absolutely crystal clear way to present his ideas and thoughts on
how to perform it, his warm and heartfelt yet respectful way to interact with this giant orchestral organism and the human beings
forming it impressed me deeply”, Heiko Triebener