Biography:

Suleimanov Rustem Salikhovich (October 5, 1977 – July 19, 2025) – artistic director and chief conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra of the Republic of Bashkortostan (2011–2014). Winner of the Shaikhzada Babich Prize.

Suleimanov Rustem Salikhovich was born in 1977 in Sterlitamak ( Russia , Bashkiria ) in a family of musicians. He studied violin at the Ufa SSMSh-Lyceum for gifted children. Since childhood, he participated in music competitions, where he repeatedly became a laureate, is a scholarship holder of the Russian program “New Names” (Moscow, 1991), twice a scholarship holder of the republican branch of this program, a scholarship holder of the President of the Republic of Bashkortostan (1994).

In 1995-2000 he was a student at the Ufa State Institute of Arts (class of Professor, Honored Artist of the Republic of Bashkortostan A. A. Shisman, violin). Laureate of the All-Russian Chamber Ensemble Competition (violin-piano duet, 1999). Laureate of the All-Russian Performers Competition named after N. Sabitov (violin, 2000).

In 1999-2004, following a targeted assignment from the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Bashkortostan, he continued his education at the St. Petersburg Conservatory named after N. Rimsky-Korsakov , in the department of opera and symphony conducting in the class of professor, People’s Artist of Russia – R. E. Martynov.

In 2001-2005, he was an artist of the Honored Collective of Russia, the Academic Symphony Orchestra of the St. Petersburg State Philharmonic under the direction of Y. Temirkanov.

During his studies, he took part in international master courses in opera and symphonic conducting with Professor, People’s Artist of the USSR Yu. I. Simonov (2002, 2004), as well as with Professor, People’s Artist of the RSFSR A. S. Katz (2003).

In 2004 he conducted P. I. Tchaikovsky’s opera “Eugene Onegin” at the Opera Studio of the St. Petersburg State Conservatory.

In 2004-2008 he was a guest conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra of the Republic of Bashkortostan.

Participant of International Festivals of Academic and Symphonic Choral Music, collaborates with Symphony Orchestras of Russia and Chamber Orchestras of the Russian Federation, Germany and Italy. In 2004, after completing his studies in St. Petersburg, he returned to his native Ufa as a conductor (Regulations on the contract for training with the Ministry of Culture of Bashkortostan) in the National Symphony Orchestra of the Republic of Bashkortostan. Together with this orchestra, he performed at the main concert venues of the Republic, prepared and conducted with the orchestra over 300 evening academic concerts, over 820 performances for children and youth, created a large number of musical subscriptions and symphonic fairy tales, which were listened to by children of all ages in the cities of the Republic.

In collaboration with the NSO RB, he recorded works by Bashkir authors, among them: Z. Ismagilov, L. Ismagilova, A. Berezovsky, R. Sabitov, A. Khasanshin, S. Salmanov and others. R. Suleymanov participated with this group at international festivals.

The orchestra and conductor held leading music competitions in Ufa: named after Nariman Sabitov and Zagir Ismagilov, which revealed a new bright galaxy of young performers.

He is the first performer of many works by composers successfully working in Bashkortostan, such as:

A.Khasanshin Concerto for Orchestra, Suite for Orchestra, Concerto for Saxophone and Orchestra, Symphony “Altyn Urza” (“Golden Horde”); A.Berezovsky Variations for Orchestra “Karabay”, Vocal Cycle “Rubaiyat”; N.Dautov Symphony No. 2; R.Kasimov Symphony No. 7; R.Sabitov Symphony No. 1, as well as Moscow composers: L.Hoffman Concerto for Viola and Orchestra; D.Gabitova “Native Tunes”, “Condition Z” and others. Close cooperation of the conductor with the Union of Composers of the Republic of Bashkortostan made it possible to hold the main anniversaries of the authors: Salavat Nizametdinov, Rafael Kasimov, Andrei Berezovsky, Daniil Khasanshin.

He successfully held festivals of the Union of Composers of the Republic of Belarus (Ufa, from 2004 to 2010).

Has recordings with the above-mentioned group on DVD and CD media.

The period of cooperation with the UGAI Student Symphony Orchestra and the UGAI Mixed Choir marked interesting projects within the Academy; the Anniversary of Professor A. A. Shisman, the 40th Anniversary of the Academy, and the Concert in Memory of the Founder of the Educational Institution, Z. G. Ismagilov, were held with dignity and at a high creative level.

In 2009, he was invited to the post of Chief Conductor at the Bashkir State Opera and Ballet Theatre (Ufa, Republic of Bashkortostan), where he conducted the main performances from the theatre’s repertoire: Salavat Yulaev by Z. Ismagilov, Aida, Rigoletto and La Traviata by G. Verdi, Iolanta and Eugene Onegin by P. Tchaikovsky, Don Giovanni and The Magic Flute by W. A. Mozart, The Snow Maiden by N. Rimsky-Korsakov, Carmen by G. Bizet, Cio-Cio-San by G. Puccini, Prince Igor by A. Borodin, etc.

In the 2009-2010 season, he prepared and performed gala concerts, the Nureyev Ballet Festival (annual), the Chaliapin Opera Festival (annual), where the opera troupe, ballet troupe, and choir were most extensively represented; the anniversaries of the theater’s Chief Choirmaster E. Gaifullina, I. Gaziyev, Ya. Abdulmanov, and others were successfully held. He also staged the author’s project “Christmas Concerts”, where J. S. Bach’s “Magnificat” and piano concerto (in D minor) were performed for the first time in Ufa, as well as a number of government events with the participation of soloists, choir, and orchestra, such as the “Days of Culture of the Republic of Bashkortostan in Moscow” in April 2012, where he was the Musical Director of the gala concert.

Attracts performers, soloists, singers, directors, and artists from the city of Ufa and other regions of Russia to its permanent and original concert projects.

Accompanied such soloists as: N. Petrov, E. Murina, S. Dukachev, M. Gubaidullin (pianists), M. Gantvarg, L. Klychkov (violinists), A. Knyazev, D. Eremin, M. Drobinsky (cellists), E. Obraztsova, A. Shagimuratova, E. Gvazava, E. Fatykhova, I. Abdrazakov (vocalists) and others.

In December 2011, he received an invitation to lead the National Symphony Orchestra of the Republic of Bashkortostan. Since January 2012, he has been the artistic director and chief conductor of this orchestra.

On the basis of the above-mentioned group, he restored the activities of the Chamber Orchestra “Bashkiria” (a laboratory for the performance of early music, composers of the 16th-18th centuries).

Awards and titles

Honored Artist of the Republic of Bashkortostan (2013)

Shaikhzada Babich Prize (2013) – for the promotion of academic symphonic music by composers of the Republic of Bashkortostan.

Credits:

Wikipedia