2025 Guest Conductor

Farkhad Khudyev

Music Director of the University of Texas Symphony Orchestra 

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Described by the critics as “phenomenon“ (Seattle Post Alley),“magician on the podium” (Performing Arts
Monterey Bay), with “the ability to connect with invisible worlds and to bring them alive in the
music” (Monterey Herald), Farkhad Khudyev, has been recognized by the government of the United States as an
Artist of Extraordinary Ability.
Admired for “meticulous guidance, superb musicianship and extraordinarily imaginative interpretation” (Performing
Arts Monterey Bay), Mr. Khudyev has worked with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Frankfurt Radio Symphony
Orchestra and Frankfurt Opera Orchestra of Germany, Danish National Symphony Orchestra of Denmark, Calgary
Opera and Calgary Philharmonic of Canada, Seattle Symphony, Dallas Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, San
Diego Symphony, Cape Symphony, Monterey Symphony, Yale Philharmonia, National Orchestra of Turkmenistan,
George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra of Romania, State Symphony Orchestra of Azerbaijan, Xi’an Symphony
Orchestra of China and the State Taipei Chinese Orchestra of Taiwan.
Mr. Khudyev is the winner of the Gold Medal “Beethoven 250” Special Prize at the 1st International Arthur Nikisch
Conducting Competition; the Solti Foundation US 2022 Career Assistance Award; the Solti Foundation US 2018
Career Assistance Award; the Best Interpretation Prize at the 1st International Taipei Conducting Competition in
Taiwan; the 3rd prize at the 8th International Sir Georg Solti Conducting Competition in Germany; the 1st Prize at
the Yale Chamber Music Society Competition; and the Gold Medal and Grand Prize at the 2007 National Fischoff
Chamber Music Competition in the US.
Farkhad has performed around the United States, Europe and Asia at world-class venues and festivals including the
Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., Emilia Romagna Festival in Italy, DR Koncerthuset in Denmark, Zhongshan
Hall in Taiwan, Shaanxi Performing Center in China, Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium in Canada, the Alte Oper
Frankfurt Großer Saal and the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Festpiele in Germany.
Mr. Khudyev has served as the Music Director of New Jersey Intergenerational Orchestra, New Haven Chamber
Orchestra, Youth Music Monterey County, as well as the Associate Conductor of the Hidden Valley Opera and the
Assistant Conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra in England.
Currently, Mr. Khudyev serves as the Music Director of the University of Texas Symphony Orchestra and the
Assistant Professor of Music in Orchestral Studies at the University of Texas at Austin, as well as the Music Director
of the Orchestral Institute at the Hidden Valley Institute of the Arts in Carmel, California.
Farkhad Khudyev was born in Turkmenistan, where he first studied violin, piano and composition at the State Music
School for gifted musicians. At the age of 10, he distinguished himself as the youngest performer selected to play
with the National Violin Ensemble of Turkmenistan, and toured around Central Asia and Eastern Europe. As a
soloist and a member of the Ensemble, Farkhad performed for the Presidents of France, Ukraine, Russia, Turkey,
Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan.
In 2001, Farkhad came to the United States to study at Interlochen Arts Academy and then completed his studies at
the Oberlin Conservatory and Yale University.