ABOUT

Tristan Rais-Sherman is rapidly emerging as one of the most exciting musicians of his generation, celebrated for his collaborative spirit, creativity, and joyful music-making. A four-time recipient of The Solti Foundation U.S. Career Assistance Award, he is known for his emotional directness and clarity on the podium, and is committed to broadening the appeal of classical music by telling human stories in ways that everyone can immediately grasp.

In the 2026–2027 season, Rais-Sherman returns to the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra and the Billings Symphony, where he is a Music Director Candidate. These engagements follow a vibrant stretch of activity, including multiple returns to the San Diego Symphony Orchestra and assisting Maestro James Gaffigan in a production of Massenet’s Manon at Les Arts Valencia.

Rais-Sherman continues to maintain a close artistic connection with The Philadelphia Orchestra, following his tenure as Assistant Conductor from 2022 to 2024. He remains a trusted collaborator both on and off the podium, having led performances at the Kimmel Center and Mann Center, and contributed significantly to the orchestra’s educational and public-facing programs.

A gifted speaker and storyteller, Rais-Sherman played a central role in launching The Philadelphia Orchestra’s award-winning Orchestra After 5 series, earning praise as an “amiable host” (Philadelphia Inquirer).

Rais-Sherman has established himself as a meaningful bridge between American and Chinese classical music. In 2023, he led The Philadelphia Orchestra to China in celebration of the 50th anniversary of their landmark first tour, debuting at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing alongside The China National Symphony Orchestra — a residency that received widespread international attention, including coverage in The New York Times. He has since developed ongoing artistic relationships with orchestras across the country, including the Harbin Symphony Orchestra, Hohhot Philharmonic, and Xiamen Philharmonic Orchestra, where he led a complete Beethoven piano concerto cycle. He has also conducted masterclasses at the China Conservatory of Music and Shanghai Conservatory of Music, and lectured at ShanghaiTech University, reflecting a sustained commitment to China’s musical community.

Other recent highlights include a celebrated appearance leading Brahms’s Ein Deutsches Requiem with the Billings Symphony — an engagement that helped forge the artistic partnership now reflected in his Music Director Candidacy — and an earlier debut with the Baltimore Symphony. Rais-Sherman has also appeared with the New York Philharmonic, Bamberger Symphoniker, St. Louis Symphony, Dartington Festival Orchestra, Aurora Festival, St. Petersburg Chamber Philharmonic, and Berlin Sinfonietta.

Deeply committed to mentorship and accessibility, Rais-Sherman has led the World Youth Symphony Orchestra at Interlochen, conducted masterclasses at the Philadelphia International Music Festival, and led educational programs with The Philadelphia Orchestra, San Diego Symphony, New York Youth Symphony, and others. He brings the same artistic values to these spaces as he does to the concert hall: generosity, curiosity, and a belief in music’s ability to speak directly.

Rais-Sherman is the only conductor to receive an Artist Diploma from the New England Conservatory and holds degrees from the University of Michigan (MM in Orchestral Conducting) and Ithaca College (BM in Cello Performance). His primary teachers include Hugh Wolff, Kenneth Kiesler, Sian Edwards, and Leif Segerstam.