About

Barbara Dragan is recognised for her intellectual curiosity and rigorous approach to musical architecture. Understanding how a work is constructed is the first step towards bringing individual musical voices together in a shared act of listening.

This way of working has shaped her artistic path, leading to her appointment as Young Associate Conductor of the Orchestre National de France in Paris, where she worked alongside Cristian Măcelaru, Daniele Gatti, François-Xavier Roth and Trevor Pinnock. Her work encompassed rehearsals, performances, education projects and recordings. Among these was conducting the orchestral recording for the entire Opening Ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, performed by the Orchestre National de France and the Orchestre de Paris and broadcast to a global audience. The production earned Dragan a Grammy Award.

Recent and upcoming engagements include debuts with the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Orchestre Métropolitain de Montréal, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Orchestre de Paris, Malmö Symphony Orchestra and BBC National Orchestra of Wales, alongside return invitations from the RTVE Symphony Orchestra Madrid, Orchestre de Chambre de Paris, Beethoven Orchester Bonn, Musikkollegium Winterthur and Orchestre national d’Île-de-France, among others.

Her work spans symphonic, operatic and contemporary repertoire, with a particular interest in programmes that create dialogue between different periods and musical languages. Her rehearsals are characterised by meticulous preparation, attentive listening and a collaborative approach that encourages orchestras to perform with artistic freedom and shared responsibility.

Originally trained as an oboist and violinist, with a background in historically informed performance, Dragan studied conducting at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg, where she completed the Konzertexamen, and at the Universität der Künste Berlin, where she earned her master’s degree.

Her artistic development has been shaped by mentors including Sir Roger Norrington, John Carewe, Colin Metters, Marin Alsop and Kazuki Yamada, as well as by her interest in theatre, literature and the work of Jerzy Grotowski.

For Dragan, every performance begins long before the first rehearsal – with the conviction that the deeper the understanding of a score, the greater the freedom an orchestra can find within it.

Press

“Dvořák’s Eighth Symphony was played exactly as it should be.”

“Played with a listening quality that could be felt in the chest.”

“An approach that stood in direct contrast to today’s push-forward mentality.”
Sydsvenskan, Sweden

“A clear, vivid and deeply moving unity of sound.”

“An electrifying performance of Brahms’ Fourth Symphony.”

“A complete triumph — complex music revealed in all its beauty.”
(Xenakis) — El Mostrador, Chile

“A conductor of high intelligence, precision and structural clarity.”

“Dragan demands solidity and transparency.”
Berliner Morgenpost

“A well-detailed interpretation with excellent orchestral balance.”
Ritmo, Spain

“Dragan maintained taut control, suavely managed tension and phrased naturally.”
The Dallas Morning News

Video

Recordings

Opening Ceremony Paris 2024

Orchestral recording of the Opening Ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games with the Orchestre National de France and the Orchestre de Paris (featuring Céline Dion and Lady Gaga).

Léna et l'orchestre enchanté - Album by Gallimard Jeunesse, Mathieu Lamboley, Orchestre National De France

*Léna et l’orchestre enchanté* with the Orchestre National de France, 2022 (Gallimard Jeunesse).

Le Secret de la Licorne : les Aventures de Tintin

Music for the podcast *Tintin et le Secret de la Licorne* with the Orchestre National de France, 2023 (France Culture).

Performances

  • Hamburg, Berlin, Bochum
    Elisabeth Leonskaja piano, Steven Sloane direction, Barbara Dragan cover conductor

  • Perotti – Sights of light – prapremiere; Strauss – Till Eulenspiegel

    HfMT Köln

  • Beethoven – 5. Symphony, Britten – Young Person’s Guide

    NOSPR Katowice

    More info

  • Hamburger Symphoniker, Hamburg

  • HfMT Hamburg, Steiner Haus

  • Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo

  • HfMT Hamburg

  • Wenbin Lyu „Germination” – prapremiere

  • "Breaking Barriers"

  • Trondheim Symfoniorkester

  • Orchestre National de France

    Cover Conductor for Cristian Macelaru

  • Orchestre National de France

  • Clyne - Dance, Beethoven - 5 Symphony, Wijeratne -Polyphonic Lively

    Inbal Segev cello, Holly Mathieson direction, Barbara Dragan cover conductor

     

     

  • Philharmonie de Paris

    Orchestre National de France

    Maxim Vengerov violin, Cristian Măcelaru direction, Barbara Dragan cover conductor

  • Orchestre National de France

    Daniil Trifonov piano, Cristian Măcelaru direction, Barbara Dragan cover conductor

  • HSO Hamburg

  • Cologne, Hamburg, Berlin, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Vienna

    Taniil Trifonov piano, Xavier de Maistre harp

    Cristian Măcelaru direction, Barbara Dragan cover conductor

  • HfMT Hamburg, Szabolcs Zempléni horn

  • Orchestre National de France

    Cédric Tiberghien piano; Cynthia Millar ondes Martenot; Cristian Măcelaru direction; Barbara Dragan cover conductor

  • Orchestre National de France

    Daniele Gatti direction, Barbara Dragan cover conductor

  • Orchestre National de France

    Daniele Gatti direction, Barbara Dragan cover conductor

  • Orchestre National de France

    FRANÇOIS-XAVIER ROTH direction, Barbara Dragan cover conductor

  • Hamburger Symphoniker, Hamburg

  • Orchestre National de France

    Daniil Trifonov piano, Cristian Măcelaru direction, Barbara Dragan cover conductor

  • Orchestre National de France

    Matthias Goerne bariton, Andrés Orozco-Estrada direction,
    Barbara Dragan cover conductor

  • Orchestre des Grands Amateurs de Radio France

    Orchestre National de France

    BARBARA DRAGAN direction

  • Orchestre National de France

    Maria-João Pires piano, Trevor Pinnock direction, Barbara Dragan cover conductor

  • Orchestre National de France
  • 16:00 — Orchestre de Chambre de Paris; Paris, Parc Floral

    More info

  • More info

  • 19:00

    Sibelius - Konzert für Violine und Orchester d-Moll op. 47

    Schostakowitsch - Sinfonie Nr. 8 c-Moll op. 65

    Conductor Steven Sloane

    Assistant conductor Barbara Dragan

    Violine Sayaka Shoji

    More info

  • BERG - Concerto à la mémoire d’un ange (VILDE FRANG Violin)
    BRAHMS - Un Requiem allemand
    CRISTIAN MĂCELARU direction

    BARBARA DRAGAN assistant conductor

    More info

  • BARBARA DRAGAN conductor

    MATTHIEU LAMBOLEY original music

    ORCHESTRE NATIONAL DE FRANCE

    More info

  • Kazuki Yamada conductor
    Barbara Dragan cover conductor

    Orchestre National de France

     

  • France

    Mendelssohn : Concerto pour violon et orchestre n°2 en mi mineur opus 64
    Mendelssohn : Le Songe d’une nuit d’été opus 61, extraits

    Aylen PRITCHIN, violon

    Sinfonia Varsovia

  • Ljubica Marić: Music for Orchestra

    W.A.Mozart: Flute Concerto No. 1 in G

    W.A.Mozart: Symphony No. 41 in C Major, “Jupiter”

    Barbara Dragan, conductor
    Demarre McGill, flute
    Symphony Nova Scotia

    More info

  • concerts shared with Kazuki Yamada

    details tba

  • Paris

    recording sessions for Olympic Games with Orchestre National de France

  • Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Paris

    HECTOR BERLIOZ La Damnation de Faust

    ORCHESTRE NATIONAL DE FRANCE
    Cristian Macelaru direction

    Barbara Dragan cover conductor

  • Philharmonie de Paris

    PAUL DUKAS  L’Apprenti sorcier
    HENRI DUTILLEUX  Tout un monde lointain, concerto pour violoncelle
    CLAUDE DEBUSSY Images
    MAURICE RAVEL Boléro

    Gautier Capucon violoncelle

    ORCHESTRE NATIONAL DE FRANCE
    Cristian Macelaru direction

    Barbara Dragan cover conductor

  • recording sessions with Orchestre de Paris  for the Opening Ceremony of Olympic Games Paris 2024

  • Beethoven - 5. Piano Concerto Emperor

    Beethoven - 3. Symphony Eroica

    Barbara Dragan - conductor

    Leonardo Pierdomenico - piano

    Orchestre de l’Opéra de Toulon

    More info

  • Paris

    Orchestre National de France

    Seong-Jin Cho - piano

    Cristian Măcelaru - conductor

    Barbara Dragan - assistant conductor

  • Maison de la Radio et de la Musique - Auditorium, Paris

    ORCHESTRE NATIONAL DE FRANCE
    BARBARA DRAGAN     direction

  • Champ de Mars (tour Eiffel)

    Chœur de Radio France

    Maîtrise de Radio France

    Orchestre National de France

  • recording sessions  for the Paralympic Games Paris 2024

  • Oradea, Romania

    Orkiestra Filarmonica de Stat din Oradea

    Seifert - Jazz Concerto

    Smoczyński - Adam's Apple

  • Madrid, Spain
  • Yrevan, Armenia, Aram Khachaturian concert hall

    World premiere: Lowell Liebermann - Alto Saxophone Concerto | Kenneth Tse - saxophone

    More info

  • Chile
  • Paris, Philharmonie de Paris

    More info

  • 11:15 — Salle Métropole - Lausanne

    More info

  • 18:00 — Auditorio Stelio Molo, Lugano
  • 17:00 — Stadthaus, Winterthur

    More info

  • Grande Salle, Philharmonie de Paris

    More info

  • Grafenegg, Austria
  • Gattieres

    "L'amico Fritz"

  • Santiago de Chile

    The Rite of Spring

  • Santiago de Chile

    Walton - Belshazzar's Feast

  • Sat04 Oct2025Malmo Symphony Orchestra
  • Bucarest
  • Sun19 Oct2025Beethoven Orchester Bonn
  • Mon10 Nov2025Orchestre de la Suisse Romande
  • Thu13 Nov2025Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin
  • Sat29 Nov2025Opera de Nancy
  • Sat06 Dec2025National Orchestra of Chile

  • More info

  • More info

  • More info

  • More info

  • More info

  • More info

  • Sat27 Jun2026HRT Zagreb Zagreb Classic Open Air 2026
  • Sat11 Jul2026Orchestre de Tours
  • Rostock, Germany

    Masquerade – Anna Clyne
    Piano Concerto in C – Leroy Anderson
    Scheherazade – Nikolai Rimski-Korsakow
    Klavier: Giorgi Gigashvili

    More info

  • Niendorf auf Poel, Germany

    Masquerade – Anna Clyne
    Piano Concerto in C – Leroy Anderson
    Scheherazade – Nikolai Rimski-Korsakow
    Klavier: Giorgi Gigashvili

    More info

  • Detect Classic Festival - Schloss Bröllin, Germany

    Masquerade – Anna Clyne
    Piano Concerto in C – Leroy Anderson
    Scheherazade – Nikolai Rimski-Korsakow
    Klavier: Giorgi Gigashvili

    More info

  • Schloss Bröllin, Germany

    Masquerade – Anna Clyne
    Piano Concerto in C – Leroy Anderson
    Scheherazade – Nikolai Rimski-Korsakow
    Klavier: Giorgi Gigashvili

    More info

  • Johannesburg, South Africa

    Brahms - 2 Piano Concerto
    Tchaikovsky - Serenade for Strings

    More info

  • Durban, South Africa

    Brahms - 2. Piano Concerto
    Dvorak - 8. Symphony

    More info

  • Nagoya, Japan

    Paul Dukas - The Sorcerer's Apprentice
    Lowell Liebermann - Concerto for Flute No. 2 [Japan Premiere] *
    Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky - Pictures at an Exhibition (arr. M. Ravel)

    Stefán Ragnar HÖSKULDSSON - flute

    More info

  • Tours, France

    Mendelssohn - Hebriden
    Mendelssohn - 2. Violin Concerto
    Schubert - 6. Symphony

    More info

  • Montréal, Canada

    BACEWICZ - Symphonie n° 2
    CHOSTAKOVITCH - Concerto pour piano n° 1
    PROKOFIEV - Roméo et Juliette (extraits)
    Gabriela Montero - Piano
    Antoine Mailloux - Trompette

    More info

  • Montréal, Canada

    BACEWICZ - Symphonie n° 2
    CHOSTAKOVITCH - Concerto pour piano n° 1
    PROKOFIEV - Roméo et Juliette (extraits)
    Gabriela Montero - Piano
    Antoine Mailloux - Trompette

    More info

  • Mulhouse, France

    SCHUBERT - Rosamunde Overture D644
    HAYDN - Concerto for Cello in C major, Hob.VIIb:1
    BRUCH - Kol Nidrei for Cello and Orchestra
    BEETHOVEN - Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major, Op. 55 (Eroica)
    Léo Ispir - Cello

    More info

  • Lahti, Finnland

    LISZT - Les Préludes
    ARUTJUNJAN - Trumpet Concerto
    MENDELSSOHN - Symphony No. 4 ‘Italian’
    MATILDA LLOYD - trumpet

    More info

  • Frankfurt, Germany

    SONST GUTE NACHT
    Der Drache auf dem Silbertablett (Musik: Maximiliano Soto Mayorga)
    Silberschwere Lider (Musik: Adrian Laugsch)
    Tango Paradiso (Musik: Abigél Varga)

    More info

  • Cardiff, UK

    More info

  • Oradea, Romania

    More info

  • Odense, Denmark

    More info

  • Göttingem, Germany

    MONIUSZKO - Märchen – Fantastische Ouvertüre
    WEINBERG - Konzert für Violoncello und Orchester c-Moll op. 43
    SCHOSTAKOWITSCH - Symphonie Nr. 9 Es-Dur op. 70

    More info

  • Bonn, Germany

    Carnival COncert - Musicalsurprise programme

    More info

  • Paris, France

    THOMAS ENHCO
    Le Murmure des oiseaux : Rhapsodie pour violon, piano et orchestre de chambre
    Double concerto pour piano et marimba Éclipse (version pour piano, marimba et orchestre de chambre)
    CHOSTAKOVITCH
    Concerto pour piano, trompette et orchestre  à cordes en ut mineur, op. 35 BACH
    Concerto pour deux pianos en ut mineur,  BWV 1062 (arrangement pour piano, marimba et cordes de Thomas Enhco)
    Thomas Enhco piano
    Vassilena Serafimova percussion
    Deborah Nemtanu violon

    More info

  • Bonn, Germany

    Mozart - Symphony No. 39 in E-flat major KV 543

    More info

  • Avignon, France

    Guillaume Connesson, The shining one
    Maurice Ravel, Concerto en sol
    Guillaume Connesson, The ship of Ishtar
    Maurice Ravel / Arthur Lavandier, Miroirs

    More info

  • Taipei, Taiwan
  • Benijing, China
  • Saujon La Salicorne, France

    BRUZDOWICZ - Éclairs (1970)
    ROTA - Divertimento concertante pour contrebasse et orchestre (1968)
    MENDELSSOHN - Symphonie 3 en la mineur "Écossaise"
    Lorraine Campet - Contrebasse

    More info

  • Bochum, Germany

    Albert Roussel - Le Festin de l‘araignée (Fragments Symphonique) op. 17
    Bohuslav Martinů - Konzert für Violine und Orchester Nr. 1 H 226
    César Franck - Symphonie d-Moll
    Josef Špaček, Violine

  • Nancy, France

    Berlioz - Roman Carnival
    Berlioz - Haroldin Italy
    Rossini, Ottorino Respighi - La Boutique fantasque

    More info

  • Nancy, France

    Berlioz - Roman Carnival
    Berlioz - Haroldin Italy
    Rossini, Ottorino Respighi - La Boutique fantasque

    More info

  • Düsseldorf, Germany

    More info

Contact

HarrisonParrott Group Logo
Worldwide General Management