Alexander Lazarev is a Russian conductor. He studied at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory, and later at the Moscow Conservatory with Leo Ginsbourg. In 1971, he was the first prize winner in a national conducting competition in the USSR. In 1972, he won a first prize and gold medal in the Karajan conducting competition in Berlin. From 1987-1995, Lazarev was both Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Bolshoi Theatre, the first person in over thirty years to hold both positions simultaneously. From 1992-1995, he was Principal Guest Conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra. In 1994, Lazarev became Principal Guest Conductor of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. From 1997-2005, he served as principal conductor of the RSNO, and is now its Conductor Emeritus. Lazarev is also the Chief Conductor of Japan Philharmonic Orhestra from 2009 September. 

July 5th, 1945 in Moscow (Age 79)