About Sergej
"His fine ear and mature understanding of the works informs his gestures and his interaction with the orchestra musicians. They cannot help but to respond to his passion and his exceptional musicianship."
PAAVO JÄRVI
Swedish conductor Sergej Bolkhovets has established himself as a compelling artist on the podium, building upon his already extensive international career as a violinist, including with the Berliner Philharmoniker.
Highlights of the 2025/26 season include his debut with the Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as a close collaboration with the Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra, comprising four concert productions. Bolkhovets also returns to the Swedish Chamber Orchestra, continuing their long-standing partnership, for subscription concerts and a CD recording featuring works by Lindberg and Barber. Further engagements include concerts with the Malmö Symphony Orchestra, the Norrköping Symphony Orchestra, and the Wermland Opera Orchestra in Sweden.
Last season he debuted with the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra in, among others, Shostakovich’s First Symphony, the Staatstheater Kassel with Janáček’s Katja Kabanova, and the Volkstheater Rostock with Puccini’s Tosca—both operas he conducted without an orchestral rehearsal. He returned to the Swedish Royal Opera and the Gothenburg Opera, as well as to the Malmö Symphony Orchestra and Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra. Further previous conducting engagements include performances with the Bayerische Staatsoper (Schubert’s Mass No. 4), Luzerner Sinfonieorchester, Bamberg Symphony Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic, Hallé Orchestra in Manchester, Manchester Camerata, Scottish Opera, Red Note Ensemble, NorrlandsOperan, Gävle Symphony Orchestra, Stockholm Folkoperan, Dalasinfoniettan, Norrköping Symphony Orchestra, and Theater Hagen. In 2023, he also recorded a CD with the Munich Chamber Orchestra, which received a nomination for the “Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik” in Germany.
Bolkhovets served as Kapellmeister at the Gothenburg Opera from 2020 to 2022 and as Assistant Conductor at the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra from 2019 to 2020. Previously, he was the Conducting Fellow at the Royal Northern College of Music, the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, as well as at the Verbier Festival. He also studied orchestral conducting at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Weimar and the Royal College of Music in Stockholm. He has also participated in masterclasses and conducting workshops with, among others, Paavo Järvi and David Zinman, working with the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich, Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, and London Sinfonietta.
Before transitioning to conducting, Bolkhovets enjoyed a distinguished career as a violinist. He regularly performed as a guest with a.o. the Berliner Philharmoniker, and as guest concertmaster in several leading European orchestras, such as the Frankfurt Opera, Royal Swedish Opera, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, and Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra. He has also performed as a soloist with a.o. the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. Bolkhovets received his violin education at the “Hanns Eisler” Academy of Music in Berlin with Prof. Ulf Wallin and Prof. Tabea Zimmermann, and earned his soloist diploma at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm with Joakim Svenheden.
MILESTONES
2024
Debut
Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra
2024
CD release
Works by Vasks & Schubert - Sebastian Bohren, Violin - Munich Chamber Orchestra
2023
Debut
Bayrische Staatsoper
2022
Debut
Luzern Symphony Orchestra
2022
Kapellmeister
Gothenburg Opera
2022
Debut
Swedish Royal Opera
2020
Workshop
Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra
2019-2020
Conducting Fellowship
Leverhulme Conducting Fellowship at Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
2019-2020
Assistant Conductor
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
2019
Debut
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
2018
Masterclass
with David Zinman Tonhalle Orchestra Zürich
2018
Conducting Fellowship
Verbier Festival
2016-2018
Conducting Fellowship
Junior Fellowship in Conducting at Royal Northern College of Music
2005-2013
Guest violinist
Berlin Philharmonic
2025
Swedish National Day Concert
Royal Swedish Opera
2024
Debut
Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra
2023
Debut
Bayerische Staatsoper
2022
Debut
Luzern Symphony Orchestra
2022
Kapellmeister
Gothenburg Opera
2022
Debut
Swedish Royal Opera
2020
Workshop
Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra
2019-2020
Conducting Fellowship
Leverhulme Conducting Fellowship at Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
2019-2020
Assistant Conductor
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
2019
Debut
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
2018
Masterclass
with David Zinman Tonhalle Orchestra Zürich
2018
Conducting Fellowship
Verbier Festival
2016-2018
Conducting Fellowship
Junior Fellowship in Conducting at Royal Northern College of Music
2005-2013
Guest violinist
Berlin Philharmonic
“Sergej is an absolutely first rate human being, with a pleasant yet authoritative manner in front of an orchestra.”
GARRY WALKER