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 three-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.

The 2025–2026 season features Rais-Sherman’s debut with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra and multiple returns to the podium of the San Diego Symphony Orchestra, where he has cultivated an ongoing artistic relationship since his debut in 2023. These engagements follow a vibrant stretch of international activity, including concerts with the Hohhot Philharmonic Orchestra, a Beethoven piano concerto marathon with the Xiamen Philharmonic 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). In 2023, he led The Philadelphia Orchestra to China in celebration of the 50th anniversary of their first tour, debuting at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing with The China National Symphony Orchestra and members of the orchestra. The residency received widespread international attention, including coverage in The New York Times.

Other recent highlights include a last-minute step-in to lead Brahms’s Ein Deutsches Requiem with the Billings Symphony, and earlier debuts with the Baltimore Symphony and San Diego Symphony. Rais-Sherman has also collaborated 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 China Conservatory of Music, the Philadelphia International Music Festival, and led educational programs with The Philadelphia Orchestra, San Diego Symphony, New York Youth Symphony, ShanghaiTech University, 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.