Ilan Volkov is an Israeli orchestral conductor. Born in Tel Aviv, he is the son of concert pianist Alexander Volkov and Shulamit Volkov, a professor emerita of modern European history at Tel Aviv University. He studied conducting at the Rubin Academy of Music in Jerusalem and the Royal Academy of Music in London.
In 2003, at age 27, Volkov was appointed Principal Conductor of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, becoming the youngest principal conductor in the history of BBC orchestras, a position he held until 2009 before becoming its Principal Guest Conductor. He has guest-conducted major international orchestras, including the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and the Cleveland Orchestra, winning a Gramophone Award for his recordings of Benjamin Britten’s works. In 2012, Volkov founded Tectonics Festival, an annual international festival dedicated to experimental, improvised, and contemporary classical music.
Volkov uses his platform as an Israeli musician to protest Israeli military policy and support Palestinian human rights. He has publicly declared a refusal to perform with state-funded institutions in Israel. During live performances in the UK and Europe, Volkov has repeatedly addressed audiences directly from the podium regarding the war in Gaza, stating on one occasion to audience members objecting to his statements: “You can go if you don’t want politics; politics is a part of life.“ In another public address, he stated: “Innocent Palestinians are being killed in thousands… I beg you all to do whatever is in your power to stop this madness.“
In addition to his public statements from the stage, Volkov has engaged in civil disobedience, including being detained by Israeli police while participating in anti-war demonstrations in Israel calling for a ceasefire and an end to the occupation. Volkov is also one of the signatories of the 2025 public statement, “Global Jewish Call on the UN and World Leaders to Sanction Israel.”