Artistic Director and Chief Conductor
STATE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA OF LENINGRAD REGION

Artistic Director and Chief Conductor
Leningrad Region State Philharmonic Orchestra

Artistic Director and Chief Conductor
Tavrichesky International Symphony Orchestra

Guest Conductor
St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra
St. Petersburg Model Symphony Orchestra

Artistic Director and Chief Conductor
St. Petersburg State Youth Symphony Orchestra

Artistic Director and Chief Conductor
St. Petersburg Children and Youth Philharmonic Art Theatre

Artistic Director
“Water Mist” Music Festival (Russia)

Artistic Director
Caspian International Music and Arts Festival

Distinguished Guest Professor
Conducting Department, China Conservatory of Music

People’s Artist of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic (Russia)

Awards
First Prize, 1^st A. A. Yurlov International Conducting Competition
(2001, Yekaterinburg)

Prize Winner, 4^th All-Russian Conducting Competition
(2002, Salavat)

Biography
Mikhail Sergeyevich Golikov was born on August 12^th, 1980, in Leningrad.

In 1998, he graduated from the Secondary Specialized Music School affiliated with the St. Petersburg Rimsky-Korsakov State Conservatory, majoring in Choral Conducting.

In 2003, he completed his studies in Choral Conducting at the same conservatory under Professor S. N. Legkov.

In 2009, he graduated with distinction from the Opera and Symphony Conducting Department, studying under Professor V. S. Sinaisky.

In 1999, Golikov founded the “Petersburg Voices” Youth Chamber Choir and became its Artistic Director. The ensemble won prizes at numerous international and national competitions.

From 1999 to 2005, he served as conductor of the choirs at St. Petersburg State Electrotechnical University and St. Petersburg State University of Technology and Design.

From 2001 to 2006, he taught at the St. Petersburg State University of Culture and Arts.

In 2005, he was awarded the St. Petersburg Government Prize for his work directing children’s musical theatre productions.

In 2010–2011, he received the same award again for the children’s musical productions The Wolf and the Seven Little Goat and The Story of Kai and Gerda.

In 2003, Golikov taught at the Maurice Béjart Ballet School in Lausanne, Switzerland, serving as Choir Conductor and Vocal Coach.

Since 2004, he has collaborated closely with philharmonic orchestras in Tambov, Petrozavodsk, and other cities, and served as Principal Guest Conductor of the Municipal Symphony Orchestra of the Irkutsk Philharmonic.

From 2009 to 2012, he taught at the Mussorgsky Music College of St. Petersburg, where he also served as Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of the Student Symphony Orchestra.

From 2009 to 2018, he was Artistic Director of the Student Symphony Orchestra of the St. Petersburg Rimsky-Korsakov State Conservatory.

Since 2009, Golikov has served as Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of the St. Petersburg State Children and Youth Philharmonic Orchestra, and in 2018 he became its Director General.

Since 2009, he has also served as Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of the Tavrichesky International Symphony Orchestra, which performs extensively on the international stage, including leading concert halls in Austria, Germany, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, France, Russia, and China.

At the end of 2013, for the project “Caucasian Symphony”, Golikov was awarded the honorary title People’s Artist of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic.

In July 2017, he was appointed Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of the STATE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA OF LENINGRAD REGION.

In July 2020, Golikov founded a new musical community and orchestral project, Digital Orchestra by Golikov, bringing together leading musicians from Moscow and St. Petersburg. The project made its official debut at the international online festival Classic@Home – BEE250VEN, dedicated to the 250^th anniversary of Ludwig van Beethoven, presenting a complete cycle of Beethoven’s nine symphonies.

In September 2020, the project was featured at the First Russian Art Week held in Gorky Park, Moscow.

In April 2021, Golikov curated and participated in the premiere of the documentary film “Beethoven by Digital Orchestra” at the 43rd Moscow International Film Festival.

Since 2022, he has been the Founder and Artistic Director of the Caspian National Symphony Orchestra, and in 2023 successfully launched the “Caspian Seasons” International Classical Arts Festival, aimed at expanding Russia’s cultural presence in the Caspian region and promoting intercultural dialogue and cooperation. As part of Caspian Seasons 2023, an International Composers’ Forum of Caspian Countries was held.

In 2023, Golikov founded the Caspian Youth Symphony Orchestra, an affiliated youth ensemble of the Caspian National Symphony Orchestra, dedicated to nurturing young musicians through masterclasses and joint rehearsals.

In 2023, he was appointed Distinguished Guest Professor at the Conducting Department of the China Conservatory of Music, where he led masterclasses and conducted the conservatory’s symphony orchestra.

In October 2023, the international media network BRICS TV announced the establishment of the BRICS TV Symphony Orchestra, bringing together outstanding musicians from Russia, China, and other BRICS countries. Mikhail Golikov was appointed Artistic Director and Chief Conductor.

In June 2024, at the annual “White Ball” Awards Ceremony of Komsomolskaya Pravda – St. Petersburg, Golikov was honored as “Media Figure of the Year.”The award was presented by Alexander Belsky, Chairman of the Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg, in recognition of Golikov’s courage and decisive leadership during the March 22, 2024 Crocus City Hall terrorist attack, when he organized the safe evacuation of musicians.

In February 2025, Mikhail Golikov was awarded the commemorative medal “For Outstanding Contribution to the Arts of the Leningrad Region” by the Federation Council of the Russian Federation, presented by Senator Sergey Perminov of the Leningrad Region.

Artistic Profile
Mikhail Golikov is a highly individual and daring artist, distinguished by exceptional professional mastery. His expressive musical language and emotionally charged conducting style have earned high praise from leading figures in science and culture, including Zhores Alferov, Irina Bogacheva, Lyudmila Verbitskaya, Elena Obraztsova, Sergei Slonimsky, Igor Butman, Francis Goya, Michel Legrand, and Edwin Marton.