Mihhail Gerts
© Kaupo Kikkas
‘subtle and expressive’
Conductor
Artistic Director, TubIN Festival
Contact
‘Gerts’ left-hand gestures were subtle and expressive while the right was rhythmical and the players responded to these communicative instructions with understanding and conviction’
Bachtrack
Combining expressive charm, clear technique and meticulous attention to detail, Mihhail Gerts has recently drawn attention for successful debuts with the Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Staatskapelle Dresden, BBC Symphony Orchestra and Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France.
With a passion for the music of his native Estonia, Gerts is Founder and Artistic Director of the TubIN Festival, honouring the work and legacy of Estonian refugee Eduard Tubin. 2025 marks the 120th anniversary of Tubin’s birth and in celebration, Gerts and the festival will explore the composer’s earlier works. Other engagements this season include with Munich Radio Orchestra, Opéra de Saint Étienne and BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.
Last season Gerts conducted RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, Munich Radio, Estonian National Symphony, Bournemouth Symphony, BBC Scottish Symphony and Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestras. Other recent highlights include with Latvian National Symphony, Gulbenkian, Ulster and Odense Symphony Orchestras, George Enescu Philharmonic, Dortmunder Philharmoniker and Orchestre National de Pays de la Loire, in repertoire ranging from Monteverdi to world premieres by Signe Lykke and Tovio Tulev, via Bach, Brahms, Ravel, Prokofiev and Arvo Pärt.
Gerts spent his formative years as Resident Conductor of Estonian National Opera (2007–14) during which time he conducted over 40 different productions, followed by a period as Deputy GMD of the Hagen Theater (2015–17). As a guest he has conducted opera productions at Teatro la Fenice, Teatro delle Muse, Opera de St-Etienne and Belarus National Opera, with repertoire ranging from Mozart and Verdi to lesser-known works such as Clémence de Grandval’s Mazeppa.
‘Conducting is not about ego. My role is to lead the performance, but I’m not doing it for myself. This music can be played in many different ways, but since I’m on the podium today, we will play it like this because there is no other way that I can present it’
