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The Russian conductor, Roman Leontiev, graduated from the special musical school of the Glinka Novosibirsk Conservatory of Music - one of the most famous music schools in Russia (1975-1981). In 1981 he began to study conducting at the Gnesin's Russian Academy of Music in Moscow. He graduated in 1986, and has continuied his conducting education at the Novosibirsk Conservatory (with Professor Arnold Kats). The same time with studding at the Novosibirsk Conservatory of Music, he was accepted to the N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov St. Petersburg Conservatory of Music (1991-1999) as a pupil of the famous Professor Ilya Musin, in his full course and postgraduate class.
Roman Leontiev's first professional acclaim was received in 1985 when he was the Prize Winner of the International Moscow Festival. For his participation at the Festival he was awarded the USSR Government Medal. This success was followed in 1986 when he was awarded a Special Award at the Third Annual Russian National Folk Music Festival and Competition. in 1985 he made his first debut at the Soviet Union TV.
These honors led Roman Leontiev to become engaged to perform in France, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland, and to participate in the variety of the European festivals. The critical acclaim of these engagements led to Leontiev being invited to perform in Western Europe and throughout Russia. His additional engagements included other performances in Germany, Finland and Switzerland.
At the mid-1990's, Roman Leontiev started the St. Petersburg Symphony Orchestra of the graduates of the St. Petersburg Conservatory of Music, and he became its Principal Conductor. The orchestra toured successfully to Finland, Serbia and Latin America, participating in the festivals and various International projects.
Roman Leontiev enjoyed performing a wide range of unusual and contemporary music, including performances of the Symphony No. 2 by Anton Rubinstein, Prokofiev's Symphony No. 3, Imiges by Debussy. In 1997, he became the Prize Winner of the International Conducting Competition of Perrenoud (Switzerland-Austria). He was also awarded the Special Prize of the Perrenoud Foundation Ptize for the best performance of the works of the Swiss composer Jean-Frederic Perrenoud (1912-1988). After this success he was engaged to conduct the Symphonica Toscanini, which followed by engagements in Hungary with the Radio and Television orchestra (Hungary). His conducting career brought him to the North of Europe and the UK. He has also made recordings of the First Symphony of American composer Peter Vincent Marlotty and the Piano Concerto of Norvegian composer Kjell Flem.
In 1997, Roman Leontiev made a successful debut with the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, which was soon followed by concerts in the D. Shostakovich St. Petersburg Philharmonics Grand Hall, conducting the St. Petersburg Symphony Orchestra "Klassika". The other engagements were with the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra and the Youth Orchestra of the Mariinsky Theatre. The concert with the Mariinsky Theatre was dedicated to his Professor and Maestro Ilya Musin.
From 1999 till 2012, Roman Leontiev has been in the position as a regular conductor of the St. Petersburg Symphony Orchestra "Klassika". With this orchestra he has performed the complete L.v. Beethoven's symphonies cycle which was met with critical acclaim, the rare performed cycles of the of Russian and foreign composers. He was the first conductor who presented many contemporary compositions to St. Petersburg public. These compositions were also recorded by Leontiev in St. Petersburg. Since 1999 and has held temporary position of Music Director of the Orchestra "Klassika" for four months every season in times of departure of the band for long tours.
During 1999-2000 season, Roman Leontiev was the conductor of the "St. Petersburg Opera" Theatre. During 2001-2006 has conducted more than 100 ballet productions in the UK during the tour of the St. Petersburg Ballet Theatre. From 2004 appears with the one best Russian orchestras- Russian Philharmonia (Moscow), conducts leading orchestras all over Russia - Novosibirsk Philharmonics, Ekaterinburg Philharmonics,Tomsk Philharmonics, Volgograd Philharmonics, Barnaul Philharmonics, symphony orchestras of Rjazan, Tula, Sochi and many others. Regular guest conductor of all the St. Petersburg orchestras - State Symphony Orchestra of St. Petersburg, Governor Orchestra, St. Petersburg Camerata, State St. Petersburg Capella Orchestra, Youth Philharmonic of St. Petersburg and others. Works with the singers of Mariinsky Theatre in the various concert halls of St. Petersburg.
Roman Leontiev was among the founders (1999) of the "New Nusic Initiative Foundation" which goal is to support the young composers of St. Petersburg. In 2003, he conducted the world premier of the work "Vladimirskaya Square" in commemoration of the 300th Anniversary of the foundation of the City of St. Petersburg, Russia.
In 2010 Roman Leontiev cooperated with famous Italian conductor Fabio Mastrangelo he prepared and conducted full stage performance of opera Aida by Verdi (Amneris Contr Aida-stage director Alexandre Kuranov) at the Hermitage Theatre. In 2011, he conducted two premieres of operas Acis and Galatea by George Frideric Handel in Moscow and Queen of Spades by Tchaikovsky in Tsarskoe Selo. In 2012, he led the Tchaikovsky St. Petersburg Symphony Orchestra in its inaugural trans-continental tour of the USA in co-operation with the Columbia Artists Management with totally 46 concerts. The most important event of the orchestra and conductor Roman Leontiev on tour in the USA is the joint performances with world renown pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet. In early November 2012, he was invited by stage director Olga Malikova in Buryat Opera and Ballet House to collaborate on a new production of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's Christmas Eve. The work lasted for almost three months, in which the Roman Leontiev showed itself as Music Director. During this period, he was invited on a tour to Mexico, where he conducted two Mexian orchestras in Merida and Torreon, and took part in the opening of the International Piano Competition. Premiere of opera Christmas Eve took place on December 24 and has been shown 8 performances, which ended January 19 Epiphany concert, at which were present the first persons of the Republic of Buryatia(near Lake Baikal).
Roman Leontiev has performed in many prestigious concert halls and theaters in the world: Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg Philharmonia, Buryat Opera House, Teatro Nazas, Teatro Jose Peon Contreras, Mikhailovsky Theatre, Tatar-Opera.
Roman Leontiev is currently Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Tchaikovsky St. Petersburg Symphony Orchestra, and is regarded as one of the preeminent conductors of his generation. Tchaikovsky St. Petersburg Symphony Orchestra under his baton took part in the IV Festival of memory Musin in Kostroma in early October. Also he was a member of the jury at the Conducting Competition in Kostroma; repeated part in the annual festival of the Nikolai Rubinstein, a native of the suburbs of St. Petersburg Peterhof.
Roman Leontiev is Maestro Gergiev's assistant at Mariinsky theatre. since 2014, combines creative and administrative work . With soloists and orchestra of Mariinsky Theatre conducted the world premiere of opera by Pyotr Gekker "The Damned Apostle", first concert performance in the Mariinsky theatre of opera Colas Breugnon by Dmitry Kabalevsky. Together with Tatar Opera and Ballet named after Musa Jalil participated as conductor at the XXIX RuNureyev Festival in Kazan, where he conducted ballet Spartacus by Khachaturian produced by Georgy Kovtun. Among the most recent and notable performances may be noted participation in the project of celebrating the 85th anniversary of the world famous French composer, pianist and conductor Michel Legrand.
Roman Leontiev has a great teaching experience, 30 years of age. Over the years, he taught at the Novosibirsk Conservatory as assistant professor, at the University of Culture in St. Petersburg. Currently he teaches at the Music College named after Rimsky-Korsakov in St. Petersburg. Almost all of his students entered the music universities of St. Petersburg. He currently lives in Saint Petersburg, Russia. |
