The former Artistic Director of European Union Youth Orchestra, Ashkenazy, is a world-famous pianist, composer and conductor. Midway through his pianistic career, Ashkenazy branched into conducting. He was the conductor of this concert instead of his student Vasily Petrenko.

Vasily Petrenko, the conductor of EUYO, was born in St.Petersburg in 1976. He commenced his position as Principal Conductor of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra in September 2006. He will make his debuts with the Dallas, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Milwaukee, Honolulu and St Louis Symphony Orchestras in sept.2008. With over thirty operas in his repertoire, he has conducted three productions in recent seasons at the Netherlands Reisopera and made a highly successful debut. 

By Yan Yanru