Vassily Petrenko graduated from the St.Petersburg Conservatoire as choir and opera-symphony conductor with professors E.P.Kudriavtseva and R.E.Martynov. At present time he is conductor of the St.Petersburg State Academic Symphony Orchestra and Opera and Ballet Theater named after M.P.Mussorgsky. Laureate of the different international competitions; in 2002 he has won the "Cadaques" Conductors International Competition (Barcelona, Spain) Laureate of the International Prokofeiv Competition (2003). Artistic director and chief conductor of the St.Petersburg State Academic Symphonic Orchestra (since 2004).