"Since 1957 I have been giving classes of operatic-symphonic conducting at the Novosibirsk State Conservatory named after M.I. Glinka (Novosibirsk, Russia).

From my numerous graduates-conductors who became well-known and reputed in Russia and Europe after graduation from conservatory I can pick out and distinguish four graduates of different years:

Valdemar Nelson, Vasily Synaisky, Mark Gorenshtein and Evgeny Shestakov.

As far as Evgeny Shestakov is concerned, I can say that his professional experience is unique: he has never left Russia. His enormous capacity for work, remarkably outstanding administrative and organizational abilities, firmness of purpose, fanatical keenness on his profession, broad practical experience, versatile extensive repertoire has made it possible to set up a highly professional big symphony orchestra in Omsk.

For the past years, Omsk Academic Symphony Orchestra has been a full time professional orchestra, leading artistically creative life: touring across Russia and Western Europe, CD recordings, collaboration with the outstanding soloists and conductors.

The fact that Evgeny Shestakov has set up a big symphony orchestra of such level in a provincial town of Russia does him great credit and is his personal achievement.

I am confident that Evgeny Shestakov occupies a well-deserved, praiseworthy place among the pleiad of contemporary conductors."

"I know Maestro Evgeny Shestakov as a remarkable conductor and excellent partner-ensemblist for 10 years.

Together we performed concertos for piano and orchestra of such authors as: L. Beethoven, W. Mozart, S. Rachmaninov, B. Bartok.

I am absolutely certain that Maestro Evgeny Shestakov can excellently conduct any well-known, world-class orchestra.

Any soloist-instrumentalist, vocalist of the highest level will find a wonderful, sensitive and tactful partner in the person of Evgeny Shestakov.

I state, with full authority, that Maestro Evgeny Shestakov, presently is one of the best conductors in contemporary Russia."