Emmanuel Tjeknavorian has served as Music Director of the Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano since September 2024. Under his leadership, the orchestra has greatly expanded its international profile and touring activity, with performances throughout Italy complemented by recent appearances in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, including at the Großes Festspielhaus in Salzburg, KKL Lucerne and the Rheingau Music Festival.

Prior to embarking on his career as a conductor, Tjeknavorian made a name for himself internationally as a solo violinist, having performed in the world’s most renowned concert halls alongside many of the leading musicians of our time. He plays a violin by Antonio Stradivari (Cremona 1698), on generous loan from a patron of the Beare’s International Violin Society.

Emmanuel Tjeknavorian is a recipient of the prestigious Abbiati Prize and an OPUS Klassik Award, and has released several recordings as both a violinist and a conductor. Since 2017, he has hosted a monthly radio show, “Der Klassik-Tjek,” in Vienna on Radio Klassik Stephansdom. As part of the show he discusses classical music with well-known personalities from other fields, showcasing his passion for finding ways to make the music accessible to a wider audience. He is also involved in numerous projects in support of young musicians. For several years, he has had a close collaboration with the Deutsche Streicherphilharmonie, the top ensemble of German music schools.