Peter Oundjian | Music Director

Toronto-born conductor Peter Oundjian, noted for his probing musicality, collaborative spirit, and engaging personality, has been an instrumental figure in the rebirth of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra since his appointment as Music Director in 2004. In addition to conducting the orchestra in dynamic performances which have achieved outstanding artistic acclaim, he has been greatly involved in a variety of new initiatives which have strengthened the ensemble’s presence in the community and attracted a young and diverse audience. In 2004, he established an annual celebration of new music, showcasing new and premièring commissioned works. Now an audience favorite, the New Creations Festival celebrates the best in contemporary orchestral music and attracts celebrated contemporary composers.

In his tenure with the TSO, Mr. Oundjian has also released five recordings on the orchestra’s self produced record label, tsoLIVE. The award-winning documentary Five Days In September: The Rebirth of An Orchestra, is available on DVD and chronicles Peter Oundjian’s first week as Music Director of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.

In addition to his post in Toronto, Peter Oundjian has been named the Music Director of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, starting in the 2012.2013 season. Mr.Oundjian was Principal Guest Conductor of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra from 2006 to 2010 and played a major role at the Caramoor International Music Festival in New York between 1997 and 2007. He has served as a visiting professor at the Yale School of Music since 1981. In May 2009, Mr. Oundjian received an honourary doctorate from the San Francisco Conservatory.

During the 2011.2012 season, Peter Oundjian will be conducting the Colorado Symphony, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony, Seattle Symphony, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.

Peter Oundjian was educated in England, where he studied the violin with Manoug Parikian. He then attended the Royal College of Music in London, where he was awarded the Gold Medal for Most Distinguished Student and Stoutzker Prize for excellence in violin playing. He completed his violin training at the Juilliard School in New York, where he studied with Ivan Galamian, Itzhak Perlman, and Dorothy DeLay. Peter Oundjian was the first violinist of the renowned Tokyo String Quartet, a position he held for fourteen years. He and his wife Nadine have two children, Lara and Peter.