Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Young prominent Uzbek conductor Aziz Shokhakimov gave a stellar performance at Gnessin Russian Academy of Music on 12 November. A scholarship winner of the Fund Forum and active member of Kelajak ovozi (Voice of the future) Youth Initiative Center, Shokhakimov directed the Russian National Philharmonic Orchestra’s performance of Symphony No 104 (London) of Haydn as well as Haydn Variations of Brahms, and Symphony No 3 (Scottish) of Mendelssohn.

Born in Tashkent in 1989, Aziz Shokhakimov graduated from the Uspenski Specialized Music School. He took up conducting when he was 12 years old under the supervision of Professor Neymer of the State Conservatory of Uzbekistan, and has been under the professor’s tutelage up to this day. Shokhakimov has been awarded Nihol National Prize (2005) and has emerged as winner in several prestigious international contests. Moreover, he was awarded a scholarship with Vladimir Spivakov International Charitable Foundation and the Fund Forum, and is an active member of Kelajak ovozi (Voice of the future) YIC. He also participated in an international conducting contest in Besançon (France), and is a laureate of the Gustav Mahler Conducting Competition in Germany.

The young conductor performed with virtually all of Uzbekistan’s symphonic orchestras such as Tashkent Opera Theater orchestra (where Shokhakimov conducted French opera comique Carmen by Bizet for 14 years) and the National Symphonic Orchestra of Uzbekistan. In addition, he performs regularly with the Youth Symphonic Orchestra of Uzbekistan which receives comprehensive support from the Fund Forum. Starting from 2003, he has participated as intern-conductor of the Volga Region Youth Symphonic Orchestra in four festivals. In 2005, he joined a group of intern-conductors of the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia (NPOR). During the NPOR young conductors’ debut concert in June 2006, Shokhakimov performed Oberon by Weber and in January 2007 he conducted one of Bizet’s symphonies.

Shokhakimov’s teachers and fans have noted that one distinctive feature that sets him apart is his vibrant temperament. He is charismatic and is able to influence the orchestra. He represents a generation of conductors trained during independence years and exemplifies the harmoniously developed generation.