Alexander Gordon

Alexander Gordon, conductor
As a protest against Russian aggression and the use of the letters “Z O V” as a symbol of Putin's regime he changed his surname from Zemtsov to Gordon in 2022.

Alexander Gordon is one of the most versatile musicians of his generation, recognized as a soloist, chamber musician and viola professor. At the age of 23 he became section leader of the violas in the London Philharmonic Orchestra. After ten years in the orchestra, he left it in 2012 to devote himself entirely to his solo and conducting career. Some of the greatest international soloists played under his baton such as Misha Maisky, Simon Trpceski, Roman Simovic, Boris Garlitsky, Gordan Nikolic, Tabea Zimmermann and others. Alexander Gordon was appointed artistic director and conductor of the “International New Symphony Orchestra” (INSO) in Lviv, which gives it as a multinational German-Russian Ukrainian-Jewish musician the role as “Ambassador of Peace” with the aim of peace and conveying unity through music. In China he made his debut with the Liaoning Symphony Orchestra in Shenyang. He also conducted the Bulgarian National Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Mannheimer Chamber Orchestra, the Rijeka Opera Theater in Croatia, Orchestra Center Dortmund, Santa Cecilia Classica Madrid, Sofia Philarmonic Orchestra with Tabea Zimmermann and Misha Maisky as soloists. Alexander was assistant to Jukka-Pekka Saraste and Vladimir Jurowski at the London Philharmonic Orchestra. As an enthusiastic chamber musician, he performs regularly with Misha Maisky, Dmitri Sitkovetsky, Gerhard Schulz, Peter Donohoe, Natalia Gutman, Totlief Thedeen, Eldar Nebolsin, Maximilian Hornung, Pascal and Michel Moragues, Gordan Nikolic, Roman Simovic, Patrick Gallois, Jan-Erik Gustafsson and with the Utrecht String Quartet and the Schumann Quartet. Alexander Gordon also performs regularly as a soloist in Europe, USA, Asia and Australia, among conductors such as Neeme Jarvi, Vladimir Jurowsky, Leif Segerstam, Jukka-Pekka Saraste and Alexander Vedernikov. As a violist, Alexander Gordon has recorded for Chandos, LPO Live, Navis Classics, Naxos and Toccata Classics.

“Energetic and emotional...The ensemble played compact, intense and lively throughout, Contrasts, accents and dynamic nuances emerge...The performance on a remarkable Level under the direction of Alexander Zemtsov...” Rheinpfalz

"...impassioned and technically immaculate..." Classical source London "...with furious dexterity..." Guardian.