Maestro Vladimir Vais was the conductor of the legendary Bolshoi Theatre for over 11 years.

His exceptional musical talent brought him to the celebrated St. Petersburg conservatoire where he studied with Russia's most prestigious pedagogues.

He obtained three Performing Arts Degrees: as a pianist , composer and conductor. At St. Petersburg conservatoire he first studied conducting under Professor Isaiah Sherman, the student of Dr. Nicolai Malko, who brought the world a whole generation of Russia's finest conductors. Later Vladimir Vais continued his studies under Professor Arvid Jansons and became his first graduate in 1976. Soon after he was invited to the Bolshoi Theatre after his highly acclaimed debut in Mozart's "Marriage of Figaro".

During his years at the Bolshoi Opera, Maestro Vais conducted more than 500 performances: among them operas by Mozart, Wagner, Bizet, Verdi, Puccini, Rossini, and others. His Russian repertoire includes operas: Mussorgsky's "Khovanshchina" Tchaikovsky's "Eugene Onegin", "Queen of Spades", "lolanta", also Prokofiev's "War and Peace", Borodin's "Prince Igor" and others.

At the Bolshoi Theatre, Maestro Vais has conducted first production of Handel's "Julius Caesar". Valdimir Vais worked closely with many of the world's celebrated composers, directors, choreographer and soloists. Among them: Composers: Dimitri Shostakovich, Aram Khachaturian, Alfred Schnitke, Rodion Shchedrin. Director: Boris Pokrovsky, Choreographer: Yuri Grigorovich, Singer's: Wilhelmenia Fernandez, Linda Finnie, Vladimir Atlantov, Elena Obraztsova, Irina Archipova and Dancers: Rudolf Nureyev, Vladimir Vasilev and Ekaterina Maximova, Marius Llepa and others. He has conducted the Bolshoi performances during its numerous tours including Japan, Europe, Mexico, Australasia and New Zealand.

Vladimir Vais was equally successful in the field of symphonic music, especially after his debut with the renowned St Petersburg (Leningrad) Philharmonic orchestra under E.Mravinsky's directorship in 1979. Since then he has conducted all major symphony orchestras of the former USSR. He has toured the USA, Europe and Australasia at the invitation of symphony orchestras, also opera and the ballet companies.

His vast symphonic repertoire includes works by: Mozart "Requiem" Beethoven No-9, Brahms "Ein Deutches Requiem", Verdi "Requiem", Rachmaninov "The Bells", Shostakovich "Symphony No-13" Mahler Symphony No-5, and others.

From 1988-91 Maestro Vais was the Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of the Jaroslavl State Symphony orchestra.

In 1991 on invitation of the Michael Edgley International ,Vladimir Vais conducted the last performance of the legendary dancer Rudolf Nureyev during his farewell Australian tour. Soon after Rudolf Nureyev has invited him to his home in the Caribbean Islands to prepare Nureyev for his highly acclaimed conducting debut with the American Ballet Theatre in Prokofiev's "Romeo and Juliet".

In 1992 Vladimir Vais was invited to the USA (California) to conduct Georgio Tozzi's production of Puccini's "La Boheme" with the singers from the Metropolitan Opera. At the Prague National Theatre he conducted Tchaikovsky's opera "Queen of Spades". Also in 1992 Maestro Vais recorded the soundtrack for the Film-Opera "Eugene Onegin" by Tchaikovsky's original score with the Moscow Symphony orchestra, at the Russian Studio "Mosfilm".

In Australia Maestro Vais has conducted in the Melbourne, West Australian, Adelaide and Queensland Symphony orchestras. He has also worked with the Victoran State Orchestra, the Canberra Symphony orchestra, the Australian and Queensland Philharmonic orchestras and the major New Zealand orchestras.

Later on the invitation of "Michael Edgley International" he conducted the World Tour of Verdi's Grand Spectacular "Aida", starring American diva Wilhelmenia Fernandez.

In Australia, Vladimir Vais has worked and performed with such artists as: Roger Woodward, Ronald Farren-Price, Dene Olding, Joan Carden, Rosamund Illing, David Mc Allister, Adam Marchant, Steven Heathcote and others.

Maestro Vais continued conducting in Europe, Australia, New Zealand combining conducting with teaching at the Victoria College of the Arts (Opera Department), and also giving master classes around the world.

At present Maestro Vladimir Vais is Music Director of Puccini Festival Australia, and also Music Director of Australian Opera Academy.