Paul-Boris Kertsman is an inspiring young conductor, known for his dynamic and deeply insightful approach.

Currently serving as Assistant Conductor to the Musikkollegium Winterthur, Kertsman collaborates closely with music director Roberto González-Monjas while also supporting prominent guest conductors and soloists. Notably, Kertsman is slated to conduct seven performances of Bernstein's "Trouble in Tahiti" at the Opera House Lucerne in 2025. A winner of the Robert J. Harth Conductor Prize and the Robert Spano Prize, he also returns as a Conducting Fellow of the Aspen Music Festival for the third time in 2024.

Highlights of Kertsman’s young career include conducting a performance of Mozart’s “Idomeneo” directed by Michael Sturminger, assisting Marie Jaquot with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, and making his public conducting debut at the Musikverein Vienna with the Radio Symphony Orchestra. He led the Vienna Philharmonic Prokopp Academy in six performances of Mozart’s "Die Entführung aus dem Serail" in 2022, and conducted Beethoven’s third piano concerto on the ORF National Television broadcast.  

With an early dedication to opera, Kertsman has already led captivating performances and noteworthy productions include "La Traviata" (September 2021), "La Boheme" (June 2021), and "The Magic Flute" (May 2021). His tenure as the music director of the Chorvereinigung Jung Wien from 2018 to 2021 showcased his versatility in choral works, regularly conducting the Mozart Requiem with Orchestra 1756, featuring members of Concentus Musicus Wien and Schönberg-Chor Wien.

At the age of 18, Kertsman co-founded the Horizon Youth Orchestra, where he collaborated with esteemed soloists like Emmanuel Tjeknavorian and Liviu Holender. During his conducting studies  he served as the music director of the TU Orchestra of the Vienna University of Technology. 

Kertsman is an accomplished pianist, with prizes from international piano and chamber music competitions. While completing his piano studies at the Joseph Haydn Conservatory under the guidance of Dr. Stanislaw Tichonow, he took initial conducting lessons from Sophie Rachlin, and later studied at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna with Mark Stringer.